Disability Inclusion Beyond One Day
When a child with additional needs entered our care, we quickly realised that we did not have all the answers. We were committed to providing the best possible support, but we needed guidance. We reached out to people within our wider community who had professional expertise in additional learning needs. Tina Hughes from Wales responded.
The Hughes and Duff Families. Left to right: Ellie, Rob, Patrice, Iwan, Penny and Tina
Supporting One Child Well
Tina began working with us remotely, helping to develop care plans and answering questions as we navigated unfamiliar territory. She provided structured guidance around communication strategies, sensory support, and practical routines that could strengthen outcomes.
Eventually, Tina travelled to Lesotho in person. Working directly with the child, caregivers, and staff, she helped us implement strategies that began to produce visible change. Progress was made in areas that had previously felt uncertain. Capabilities developed that some had assumed might not be possible.
What began as targeted support for one child became a turning point for our wider understanding.
Recognising a Wider Need
Through Tina’s involvement, we began to see more clearly the scale of need within the surrounding community. Many families in Ha Lebesa and beyond are raising children with additional learning needs without formal diagnosis, specialist services, or structured support. Access to resources in Lesotho is limited, particularly in rural settings.
In response, Tina developed additional learning needs workshops and small group sessions tailored to the abilities of those attending. These sessions created space for children with additional needs to come together, engage in structured activities, and experience inclusion in a safe environment. It was a beautiful thing to behold.
Families who often feel isolated were able to meet others facing similar challenges. Caregivers received practical guidance. Children experienced structured learning adapted to their level.
Tina did not come alone. Her daughter Ellie and her son Iwan travelled with her, returning multiple times each year. Over time, other friends and volunteers from Wales joined, strengthening the team and broadening the scope of what could be offered.
Beyond the Mountain
What is particularly encouraging is that this work has extended beyond One Day.
Tina has built connections with other organisations in Lesotho, including disability schools. She became involved with the School for Children with Disabilities in Leribe, where a sports inclusion day was organised in partnership with members of the Lesotho national rugby team. Seeing national players participate in an inclusion event sent a powerful message about belonging and dignity.
She has also met with the UK High Commissioner to Lesotho to explore collaborative ways to better support families and caregivers of children with disabilities. These conversations reflect growing recognition that structured, practical support can strengthen outcomes at national level.
Through partnership with Dolan Cymru, a Welsh organisation working in Lesotho, this work continues to develop. What began with one child has grown into a network of relationships, training, and advocacy that reaches far beyond the mountain.
Volunteer Impact with Lasting Reach
Tina’s involvement is another example of how ordinary skills, offered faithfully, can have extraordinary impact. She did not arrive as part of a large institutional programme. She responded to a need. She brought her professional expertise and her family. She returned consistently.
The initial goal was to support one child well. The outcome has been broader disability inclusion awareness, structured workshops, strengthened caregiver capacity, and new partnerships across Lesotho.
For us, this reinforces an important principle. When we invest deeply in one life, the effects can ripple outward in ways we cannot predict.
Providing support for additional learning needs requires patience, humility, and long-term commitment. It also requires collaboration. We are grateful to Tina, Ellie, Iwan, and the wider team from Wales who continue to walk alongside us.
