Peg Herbert shaking hands with a child
Dr. Peg Herbert, Arts'72, during a recent trip to Lesotho.

Helping Lesotho for two decades

Dr. Peg Herbert, Arts카지노 게임 컬렉션™72, retired earlier this year from , a non-profit she founded two decades ago that has helped more than 274,000 people in the small African country.

How big was her impact on the country? The king of Lesotho personally thanked her.

카지노 게임 컬렉션śUnderpinning all Help Lesotho's remarkable achievements is all the love and commitment that Mother Peg is known for," said King Letsie III in March outside one of Help Lesotho카지노 게임 컬렉션™s community resources centres. 

After graduating from Queen카지노 게임 컬렉션™s, Dr. Herbert became a social worker in rural Alberta. She went on to earn a master카지노 게임 컬렉션™s and a PhD in education (educational psychology), and became a counsellor and lecturer at the 카지노게임사이트 of Ottawa.

Her life changed in 2000 after meeting Sister Alice Mputsoe in her 카지노게임사이트 of Ottawa graduate class. The nun and school principal was from Lesotho, a country that had been devastated by the AIDS crisis. Dr. Herbert visited Lesotho in 2004 and was saddened by the level of suffering caused by HIV, gender-based violence, and poverty, as well as the compound effects of depression and hopelessness.

카지노 게임 컬렉션śWhen I went there in 2004, the life expectancy was 34 because of the AIDS pandemic,카지노 게임 컬렉션ť says Dr. Herbert. 카지노 게임 컬렉션śPeople were dying everywhere. Contracting HIV was a death sentence. There was nobody helping in the areas I visited.카지노 게임 컬렉션ť

That visit inspired Dr. Herbert to take action. Despite having no background in running a non-profit or experience in international development, she launched Help Lesotho, which quickly became Canada's largest non-profit in the country 카지노 게임 컬렉션“ and her full-time job. 

Today, the organization runs 22 programs in Lesotho, has an annual budget of just under $2 million, and employs five people in Canada and 45 local staff in Lesotho. 

Tapping into her psychology background, Dr. Herbert and Help Lesotho focused on mental-health programs in a country that has had Africa카지노 게임 컬렉션™s highest suicide rate per capita since 2008 (according to the World Health Organization).

The organization runs school sponsorships, leadership programs for boys and girls, computer training, and intensive programs for pregnant teens, young women, and grandmothers who look after orphaned children. 

"When people are equipped with coping strategies, decision-making skills, and self-esteem, they can take the necessary steps to move forward through trauma and challenges," says Dr. Herbert.

As she reflects on her career, she encourages people not to be afraid to take on big challenges, noting that even small contributions can make a difference.   

카지노 게임 컬렉션śSome people are discouraged, thinking they can카지노 게임 컬렉션™t have a significant impact on these problems. I think Help Lesotho is a strong example that you can,카지노 게임 컬렉션ť says Dr. Herbert. 카지노 게임 컬렉션śI카지노 게임 컬렉션™d like people to realize that whatever they can do is good and, cumulatively, small things can make a massive difference.카지노 게임 컬렉션ť