"Lived poverty" in Lesotho

Abstract

Poverty is a multifaceted phenomenon that can be studied from different perspectives and this study used the ‘lived poverty’ index to study poverty. The purpose behind the study was to investigate the extent of ‘lived poverty’ in Lesotho as well as assessing the contribution of conditional cash transfers to alleviating it in Qibing, Mafeteng. The study used sequential explanatory mixed methods to collect data with quantitative data sourced from the Afrobarometer round 8 survey. Qualitative data was collected through key informant interviews and focus group discussions from a sample of 12 participants that was selected through purposive sampling. While quantitative data was analysed using SPSS 16.0, Qualitative data was analysed using Atlas.ti. using thematic analysis. The study’s findings showed that Lesotho has a significant amount of ‘lived poverty’ with income poverty, water insecurity, and food insecurity being the most rampant components concentrated in rural areas and affecting mostly females than males. The findings further revealed that conditional cash transfers contributed to ‘lived poverty’ alleviation by addressing two components, income poverty and food insecurity providing beneficiaries with stipends and training beneficiaries on food preservation. The study recommends that the government and NGOs come up with projects that aim to alleviate ‘lived poverty’ in rural areas targeting most females.