Sheffield Hallam is continuing to develop international relationships by welcoming the High Commissioner of Lesotho to the University.
Her Excellency Mrs Rethabile Mokaeane and Counsellor Ms Lineo Palime visited the city on Friday (18 October) to meet the University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Chris Husbands, and see the campus.
It follows a life-changing trip made by students, graduates and staff from the University's Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice earlier this year to the southern African country to help women and girls living in some of the world's poorest communities.
Her Excellency, Mrs Rethabile Mokaeane said: “It was an absolute pleasure to visit the amazing Sheffield Hallam University. We look forward to powerful collaboration between the University, Africa’s Gift and the Lesotho nation.”
Sue Bulley, principal lecturer in business management at Sheffield Hallam University, who led the visit to Lesotho earlier this year, said: "It was a real privilege for us to welcome Her Excellency Mrs Rethabile Mokaeane and Counsellor Ms Lineo Palime to Sheffield and show them what makes this University such a special place for our students to study at.
"At the Helena Kennedy Centre we aim to provide our law and criminology students with life changing opportunities to experience human rights work with real impact.
"The trip to Lesotho delivered on that aim and pushed our students out of their comfort zone to see how their studies can make an impact in the real world.
"We are looking forward to visiting next year and continuing to build on the relationships we have built with Lesotho.
"We hope to offer this opportunity on an annual basis and to develop a long lasting relationship with the communities in Lesotho."
The group of 20 from the University's Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice visited Lesotho and South Africa in June as part of a Human Rights project which saw them introduce the Wonderbag to impoverished communities.
The Wonderbag is a slow cooker made with eco-friendly insulation and recycled materials that allows food to be brought to the boil on an open fire in a few minutes and then immediately put into the slow cooker.
This means that the fire can be put out and the food left to cook in its own heat, allowing women to get involved in other activities including education and paid work as they no longer need to spend time cooking.
It also uses much less firewood and water and greatly reduces the risk of fire and water accidents, and smoke inhalation.
The trip came about through the University's partnership with Africa’s Gift, a South Yorkshire-based charity which works with rural communities in Africa.
During Her Excellency's visit, she received a presentation from the charity's founder, Ken Dunn, who is set to receive an honorary doctorate from the university in November, and a tour of the University's sporting facilities.
