Den nu tidligere leder i DLNs partnerorganisation Development Peace Education (DPE) Ntate Sofonea Shale, er blevet headhuntet til stillingen som departementschef i premierministerens kontor i Lesothos parlament. Mens vi i DLNs DPE-gruppe ønsker ham alt det bedste i hans nye job, er vi også lidt kede af at se ham forlade vores langvarige samarbejde med DPE. Partnerskabet begyndte tilbage i 2008, og DPE har udviklet sig til en slagkraftig NGO,, der kæmper for rettighederne for Lesothos befolkning, især for dem i Lesothos fjerntliggende områder. Selvom det er farvel for nu, er vi sikre på, at vores veje vil krydses igen, og venskabet mellem DLN og Ntate Shale vil fortsætte. En stor tak sendes til Ntate Shale, og vi er overbeviste om, at han fortsat vil have befolkningens interesser som sin første prioritet i sit videre arbejde.

By Bodil Mathiasen Member of the DLN DPE project group:

Ntate Sofonea Shale has been headhunted for the position of Chief of staff in the Prime Minister’s office in the Parliament of Lesotho. We – the Danish DPE group wish him all the best in his new job, but we are also a little sad to see him leave our longtime partner: Development for Peace Education – DPE.

It seems ages ago when Ntate Shale and I sat at the foot of the Thaba Busiu mountain discussing a possible partnership between DLN and DPE. In fact it was back in 2008 that our conversation took place.
After a time of analysis of the target group and the exercise of going through the CISU procedures of establishing a formal partnership we embarked on our first project in 2010.
And the partnership has been ongoing ever since. We have seen DPE grow into a very strong and vocal NGO – always fighting for the rights of the people of Lesotho – and in particular for the population in the far to reach areas.

We extend a huge “thank you” to Ntate Shale and are confident that he will continue to have the interest of the population as his first priority.

As Ntate Shale has stressed on many occasions : the DPE-DLN is not only a professional partnership, but also a long lasting friendship built on respect and care for each other.
So it may be a goodbye for now, but we are sure that our path will cross in future and that the friendship between DLN and Ntate Shale will continue.

ALSO READ : STATEMENT BY DPE CHAIRPERSON CDE MAFOKANE RAMAKHULA

Fraternal greetings to the DPE membership, Communities and Citizens Served by DPE, CSOs, partners, Media and the General Public
I hope and believe that every one of you in your different ways through which you make the philosophy of DPE realisable, you have had a memorable time with families and friends during the festive season. This should have provided good rest and recharged your energy. As the new year has begun. I wish you all the best in your endeavours out of which DPE and the communities it serves shall benefit significantly.
In its empowerment work DPE has produced leaders serving society in different capacities in an out of Lesotho, in the state and non-state sectors, civilian and disciplined sectors while others are representatives of citizens.
I wish to announce here and now that the number one employee of Development for Peace Education, Ntate Sofonea Shale, will leave his long term of office as the Coordinator and Head of Secretariat, forthwith. Ntate Shale has helped DPE during his tenure of office to design public participation strategies that have made the otherwise abstract and complicated governance processes easily accessible to the ordinary citizens. While DPE has been extremely relevant in the regional and national levels in dialogue, advocacy and resolution of political conflicts, ordinary citizens in the hard to reach areas have been able to talk to Ministers directly, parliamentary portfolio committees have been to the villages to hear citizens’ voices. This has made DPE a great organisation with reputation in Lesotho and Southern Africa. On behalf of the DPE National Executive Committee and on my own behalf, take this moment to wish ntate Shale success in his new endeavours.
In his absence, the National Animator Reverend Valentine Tṥepo Mosoeu shall hold the fort as the Coordinator and the Head of Secretariat. The DPE shall continue to stand for the option of the cause of the poor.