MSMHC in Lesotho officially opened the ‘Ferrando Resource Centre’ (Special School) at Maputsoe (Ha nyenye) on 18 November, 2016. The ceremony was held in the presence of Sr. Philomena Mathew, the Superior General, friends and well-wishers. Prior to the official event was the Holy Mass presided over by Rt. Rev. Augustinus T. Bane, OMI and concelebrated by nine priests from the nearby parishes.
The Ferrando Resource Centre (FRC) had its humble beginning in 2010 when it began to render assistance to a group of Irish volunteers from Action Lesotho, an Irish NGO in Lesotho which reached out to the differently abled kids in Maputsoe. Later, in 2013 the volunteers asked the MSMHC to take up the project and St. Luke Mission Maputsoe generously supported the Sisters by rendering an existing catechetical centre to run project. The Centre which began with six kids now accommodates over forty kids. In 2015 the Centre obtained a new identity in the country by becoming a ‘Special School’, obtaining the registration with the Ministry of Education. It takes care of the kids who are differently abled with Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome, autism and other intellectual learning difficulties. Its programmes include early intervention, Physio and occupational therapy, Life Skill training, Peer Tutoring, and appropriate academic classes.
The first student of Ferrando Resource Center brought the centre to the limelight by securing the sixth position in the country in the PSLC examination.
As the number of students increased, Bishop Bane, the Bishop of Leribe offered a plot of land to construct a building. The dream was actualised with the help of Misean Cara, Misereior, the Salesian Mission, Hilton Fund, Solon Foundation and friends and well-wishers from Maputsoe and Hlotse. Other stakeholders of this special projects are: Malamulele Onward an NGO in Gauteng, Action Lesotho, Department of Forestry and land reclamation at District level, Catholic School Secretariat, Department of Education and training, Leribe, the School board members and the Project Management board, the town clerk, Principal Chief, and the chief and Councilor of Hanyenye.