Shekinah Preschool
Helping create a safe and nurturing place for preschoolers to learn and thrive.
In 2022, Pastor Thusanang Bane started a preschool in Mokhotlong, Lesotho, in partnership with Mountaineers for Christ, because there is a shortage of preschools in the area. Quality care and education gives orphaned and vulnerable children a strong start in life, helping them overcome the devastating effects of poverty, including malnutrition, slow cognitive development and academic failure. It also gives them a safe place to be during the day when they may be left on their own or roaming around the town even as toddlers, while parents look for work or farm their land.
Orphaned and vulnerable children currently attend the preschool in a corrugated iron building with no windows or ventilation. Thanks to a legacy to E3, Shekinah Preschool will soon benefit from a brick structure with windows for light and ventilation. It will be used as the preschool classroom for up to 70 children as well as a church on Sundays and a venue for community meetings and events. There will also be a toilet block with running water and flushable toilets. This will be such a gift to this community and brings dignity and shows that people matter.
Running costs will be funded by a small fee charged to families who can afford to pay.
“I am a Pastor at Shekhinah Church, and I have had the privilege of working with E3 on this building project. We are incredibly thankful to God and to everyone supporting this work. It has been a long journey, especially starting the school without a proper facility. But with God's help and the support of E3, we've made it through the tough times. From the beginning, we trusted the Lord for this project, and we are hoping to open the new facility for use in June 2025. We trust God will guide us as we continue this work.”
“I teach at the Preschool, and I am grateful to see how God is doing great things here. The children are growing not only academically but also socially and spiritually. Currently, I teach 13 children, but I am trusting God for many more to join. Please keep us in your prayers, asking that more children will come, will grow in God, and will hold on to the Christian lessons and values they learn here. The ongoing construction is a testimony to the dedication behind this work, and I believe it will encourage more families to entrust us with their children’s education.”
“I am a mother of twins, and I enrolled them at Shekhinah Preschool from the very beginning because it is a Christian school. Here, they have not only learned numbers and language but also spiritual values. I am truly happy to have them in this school, as I believe it will equip them to face future challenges. I am especially grateful for the ongoing construction of the school building. Children used to be sent home when it rained due to the lack of proper shelter. This new building will make a huge difference, ensuring they can continue learning in all weather conditions. Thank you, E3!”
