Flash flood devastates TTL Campus

It is true that things can change in an instant. Out of nowhere yesterday afternoon, the TTL campus in Mokhotlong was hit hard by an intense storm that produced golfball-size hail, massive winds and rain, and floods. The quiet creek running alongside campus turned into a raging river taking trees and everything else in its path. Heavy rains, lightning and thunder carried on for over an hour and a half. Flood waters poured into campus, uprooting and devastating all of our crops. Braving the elements to run to a different building resulted in navigating knee-high currents moving not just mud but rocks, bones, crops, and garbage.  Literally all we could do was watch as Mother Nature went rogue.  

We were all very fortunate to be safe and despite the fact the flood waters reached such a height that they flooded the Safe Home, we were able to get the babies to safety. After looking around campus in the daylight, we realised the depth of the damage done by the storm. TTL staff, Fellows, and visitors all came together with spades, rakes, and wheelbarrows to relocate our pathways and walks. It took over 6 hours for the job to be complete, with many more days of work on campus left to do. Most upsetting is our beautiful garden, which has been completely washed away by the rain. The garden that provided fresh food for the children in the Safe Home has now disappeared and won’t be salvageable before the fall arrives. 

 

We are thinking about all of our community clients and partners now as they too struggle to cope with the aftermath of the storm. Food security is a chronic issue here in Lesotho, and TTL has attempted to lessen the burden by providing our client families with seed packages for their own sustainable gardens. We realise with heavy hearts that like our garden on campus, the gardens of many families in and around Mokhotlong will have washed away. Now more than ever, the work of TTL is essential for those who are most vulnerable.