The Movement in Lesotho

Lesotho has a population of over 2.3 million with a workforce of about 1 million (43%), and an unemployment rate near 25%. This leaves over 1.8 million Basotho (82% of our population) so poor they cannot afford, or barely can afford three meals a day for themselves and their family; a percentage higher in the rural areas. Many are struggling to survive less than $1.90 USD per day. (International Poverty Line) (1).

We are not taught at home or school about planning for our future and why it’s important to have current financial, estate and gift plans to protect ourselves and our families. We have a collection of serious problems resulting in a high percentage of poverty. Moreover, we have a lack of financial awareness resulting in a serious financial illiteracy epidemic. This places a HUGE growing amount of pressure on families and friends, employers, nonprofits; as well as the ultimate safety net the government. This is not just a local epidemic it’s an international one.

Most people are not taught the essential principles of smart money management – the foundation to personal finance knowledge – at home or in school. Thus, they don’t have the proper tools to address everyday money decisions in an informed manner. This jeopardizes their financial and physical wellness, their ability to realistically achieve and maintain their personal and family financial dreams, let alone enjoy a financially secure future.

The Solution
To help address the lack of financial awareness and the financial illiteracy epidemic, Leseli Financial Literacy Institute began taking an active leadership role to approach organizations and their management, and individuals that are championing improving financial awareness and financial literacy.

Such entities are then united with other associations, organizations, nonprofits, educational institutions, government, employers and the news media to actively focus their enormous community resources into this flagship project “The Improving Financial Awareness & Financial Literacy Movement in Lesotho” with its concentrated personal finance content media blitz every six months through the strategic campaign venues:

⦁ April known as Financial Literacy Month in Lesotho, and six months later with
⦁ October known as Estate & Gift Planning Awareness Month in Lesotho

The plan is to touch every Mosotho at least twice a year through these strategic campaign venues, with educational and motivating content, and reminders and tools for making wise informed lifelong financial decisions to get and keep their financial house in order by having current financial, estate and gift plans.

The Lesotho Movement is modeled after one created in the USA over a decade ago by founders of The Financial Awareness Foundation. To see what others are doing preview The Improving Financial Awareness & Financial Literacy Report & Magazine. This provides a sampling of the community participation, including supporting proclamations from many US State Governors, leading financial service, planned giving, and nonprofit associations and their professionals, and academia and news media efforts along with a comprehensive collection of reports including how financially literate each state and country is, and so much more.