Founder | |
---|---|
Founded at | Lesotho |
Chief Executive | Richard Miller |
Key people | Trustees: Johnny Hornby Tim Boucher Baroness Chalker of Wallasey James Marshall Tsitsi Chawatama Mark Dyer Damian West |
Website | https://sentebale.org/ |
Sentebale is a registered charity[1] founded in 2006 by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. Sentebale helps children and adolescents struggling to come to terms with their HIV and AIDS diagnosis. It provides a safe environment for them to address their mental health among their peers, giving them tools and knowledge.[2]
Prince Harry met Prince Seeiso during his gap year in Lesotho and was moved to help vulnerable children and young people in the country. Prince Harry explained the meaning behind the charity name during the Concert for Diana. "Sentebale" means "forget-me-not" in Sesotho and the name was chosen "as a memorial to the charity work of our own mothers, as well as a reminder to us all not to forget Lesotho or its children."[3]
Lesotho has the second-highest rate of HIV in the world, with more than 37,000 Basotho children aged under 14 who living with HIV.[4] The country has 360,000 orphans. Around 10 per cent of all children in Lesotho are vulnerable.[5] Sentebale aims to combat these issues and to work with vulnerable children and their communities so they can reach their full potential. The charity focuses on community-led development that matches actual needs.[6]
After 10 years of operating in Lesotho, in November 2016, the charity launched their new operation in Botswana. The annual Sentebale Polo Cup, in which Prince Harry usually participates, is held every year to raise money for the charity.[7]