The European Union Delegation to Lesotho announces the winners of the “Imagining a Cleaner Future” photo competition.

Young people across the country were inspired by the challenge to capture the beauty of Lesotho's landscapes and rivers while imagining a cleaner, plastic-free future. The competition was inspired by the #EUBeachCleanUp that ran parallel to the Orange-Senqu River #SourcetoMouth clean-up campaign implemented by the EU together with the Government of Lesotho, the ReNOKA movement and the Orange-Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM).

The clean-up action of the Mohokare River, a tributary of the Orange-Senqu River at Ha Thetsane Lesia, united partners, volunteers, and 200 students from four schools in Maseru and Berea on September 22, 2023.

Imagining a Cleaner Future

159 entries were received across three categories: land, water and people. The winners take home M750, second place winner gets M500 and third place gets M250.

“We are pleased that so many young people were inspired to enter the competition. It is wonderful to see that young people care about the environment and have used their creativity to document Lesotho’s natural beauty and the impact of waste on these pristine environments,” says said Paola Amadei,  Ambassador of the European Union.

The first prize winner was Senate Nkuebe, 32, hailing from Ha Ntsie, Seforong Quthing. Their winning photograph, entitled “Accessible & Clean Water is Everyone’s Right,” which conveyed the significance of ensuring communities throughout the Mountain Kingdom have access to clean and fresh water.

Neo Maam Shoaepane, 29, from Maqalika, Maseru, secured second place with their photo titled "Life of the Water." The image highlighted crucial facets of Lesotho's water, emphasising the vital role of clean and fresh water in the lives of communities across the country.

Third place went to Thandiwe Tumo, 23, from Ha-Tšiu, Maseru for their photo titled “The Body as Land”. This evocative image illustrated the impact of pollution on the land, portraying the land's expression of frustration as if it were human. The image creatively depicted litter scattered across the body and conveyed the body's reaction to this environmental challenge.

All the finalists’ photos can be viewed on the EU’s Facebook page and official website.

“Lesotho is endowed with breath-taking landscapes, which were captured in this competition. The photos not only highlight the natural beauty of the country but also address the challenges it faces in terms of land and water degradation. We believe that these images serve as a valuable record of the current state of Lesotho's landscapes and can inspire Basotho to take action to protect their water and land resources”, Amadei explains.

Advocating for the restoration and protection of land and water resources

Running parallel to the youth photo competition, the EU ran a school art competition with the Makebe, Mohokare, Lesia and Sefate Sa Bophelo Primary Schools, schools that took part in the EU Beach Clean Up on the Mohokare River in September this year.

Learners at the schools were invited to draw a picture on the same themes as those of the photo competition, namely of land, water or people. Over 160 entries were received from the schools. The winners of the art competition are:

• Makebe Primary School:
  • Prize 1: Jabulani Semethe
  • Prize 2: Toka Maeeane
  • Prize 3: Relebohile Ramaisa  
     
• Sefate Sa Bophelo Primary School:
  • Prize 1: Reabetsoe Motloheloa
  • Prize 2: Molapo Tsemane
  • Prize 3: Thandi Monamatha
     
• Mohokare Primary School:
  • Prize 1: Refiloe Nkhabu
  • Prize 2: Lerato Rampitsana
  • Prize 3: Nqebo Mokhothu
     
• Lesia Primary School:
  • Prize 1: Tumelo Lethoko
  • Prize 2: Ngomzele Ndaba
  • Prize 3: Tseliso Roibaki

The winning schools are Makebe and Sefate Sa Bophelo Primary Schools, and they will each receive a grand prize of M5000. This amount is intended to be used to support the educational needs of the respective schools. Prize-giving ceremonies have been planned for both schools, with the prize-giving at Makebe Primary School occurring on 28 November 2023.

All the winning drawings can be found on this link.

“As the EU, we believe that it is essential that children become agents of change in their communities helping to advocate for the restoration and protection of land and water resources and standing up against pollution. They are the future custodians of Lesotho’s natural resources. Using art, learners can help to spread the word about the urgent need to preserve these natural resources and helping to imagine a cleaner future,” says Ambassador Amadei.