Quthing ___ Her Majesty Queen Masenate Mohato Seeso on Friday presented gifts to children accommodated in Quthing SOS Children 's at the event held in the village premises.

The gifts that included maize and vegetable seeds, bread flour and maize meal, football attire and hygiene buckets, were from Hlokomela Bana Queen's Foundation.

Speaking at the event, the Queen appealed to children in the village to effectively use the opportunity of SOS support, work hard in their studies and respect their teachers and guardians to achieve good academic results.

She highlighted that education is the key to a bright future as it opens doors of success in life.

The Queen said maize meal and bread flour will provide the children with food while seeds will be used for future food production.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security and Nutrition Mr. Thabo Mofosi pledged support to the SOS Children 's village in Quthing by providing seeds that will be well planted for food production.

He further promised to work together with the Principal Chief of Quthing in mobilisation of Chiefs and community councilors to work hand in hand with potential farmers to engage in crop farming.  He said the community leaders should ensure that none of the fields left uncultivated to produce food.

The Principal Chief of Quthing Chief Seeso Nkuebe said SOS Children 's village is playing an important role in taking care of vulnerable children as they are protected from challenges that include human trafficking.

The SOS Children 's village Director Lesotho Mrs. Masenate Letsie said SOS Children 's village is currently engaged in a programme in which SOS families are based at the villages that children grow in community environment to make it easier for them to live villagers at when they return home, they are self-reliant and independent.

The Quthing District Manager from the Department of Social Development Mrs. Masealimo Tjotjela stated that orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) are protected by the Child Protection Act of 2011.

She said the Act also assists in establishment of Children 's villages and development of policies to guide in protection of children accommodated in such villages.

She added that SOS is playing a vital role in promotion of the OVCs, which is the responsibility of the government but lack of funds hinders such activity. She said the department assists in making arrangements for placing children and monitors the villages for assurance of their protection and safety.

One of the mothers from the Village Mrs. 'Mabataung Kokome expressed gratitude for the gifts as they will help the children to maintain personal hygiene, while seeds will assist in production of crops and vegetables.

One of the children accommodated at the village Tebello Mokhesuoe, expressed gratitude for the gift and wished blessings to the Queen for more support to children that need assistance.

SOS Children's village has accommodated 57 children. Her Majesty Queen lastly visited the village in 2021.