Story from the Field: Reaching remote communities in Lesotho for drought response

Tarek ElGuindi was deployed by the DRC Standby Roster to Word Food Programme (WFP) in Lesotho earlier this year, responding to severe food insecurity after a historic drought. Being responsible for assessing activities and reviewing response plans, Tarek found great value in working closely together with the people he was deployed to assist.

In late 2024 and early 2025, Lesotho faced one of its most severe droughts in recent history, triggered by the 2023/24 El Niño event. With over half the population living below the poverty line and a heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture, the crisis hit rural communities hardest. In response, the Government of Lesotho declared a national emergency and launched a coordinated appeal for humanitarian support.

The DRC Standby Roster spoke with Tarek ElGuindi, deployed as Emergency Coordinator to support WFP’s role in the government-led response. Drawing on decades of field experience, Tarek shares insights into the challenges, coordination efforts, and lessons learned during his mission.

Can you describe the overall situation in Lesotho and the objective of your deployment?

Tarek: Lesotho, often called the ‘Kingdom in the Sky’ because it’s the only country in the world entirely above 1,400 m, was hit hard by drought. The impact was devastating—subsistence farmers lost their crops, purchasing power dropped, and rural households, especially those headed by youth or the elderly, were left extremely vulnerable. My deployment began in January 2025, two months after the emergency response had already started. I joined an existing team to support the government-led operation. My role was to coordinate WFP’s field-based support, ensure alignment across units and work closely with the Disaster Management Authority (DMA) to strengthen accountability, feedback mechanisms, and real-time monitoring.

What were the main challenges you encountered upon arrival?

Tarek: There were several. First, I arrived after the initial planning and resource mobilization had already begun, so I had to catch up quickly. One major issue was limited resources versus needs. Further, matching the modality of assistance to urban and rural areas according to need and infrastructure. Moreover, prioritizing donor pledges according to their validity duration and purpose. Access was also a significant issue. Lesotho’s mountainous terrain and the onset of the rainy season made it extremely difficult to reach some of the most affected villages. Roads were either damaged or non-existent, and in many cases, vehicles had to cross rivers or navigate steep, muddy paths to deliver assistance. These logistical hurdles slowed down operations and required constant adjustments to distribution plans.

What modalities of assistance were used, and how did you validate them in the field?

Tarek: The response used different modalities of assistance, a mix of cash, commodity vouchers, and in-kind food assistance. Cash was ideal in urban areas with functioning financial infrastructure, while in remote villages, we used commodity vouchers. These allowed households to receive a full monthly food basket tailored to nutritional needs. During my field visits, I validated that these modalities were appropriate. I spoke with beneficiaries, retailers, and government partners. People appreciated the composition of food baskets, especially in areas where local shops couldn’t supply diverse or nutritious items. Beneficiaries were satisfied with their food ration, and suggested attaching cash for cooking fuel and hygiene items, which could be coordinated with other partner agencies.

How did you engage with local retailers and government partners?

Tarek: WFP was successful in working through assessed and selected retailers. Use of local retailers was logic and essential. Each village had a small grocery store, and WFP rightly contracted and enhanced these existing infrastructures, rather than replacing them, to distribute food assistance. Retailers expressed their satisfaction with taking part in such activities, provided they had more advanced notice to prepare stock. That would entail early planning and communication to avoid delayed deliveries and implementation. As for the government, its role in leadership and implementation was crucial in ensuring sustainability and ownership. Field offices have the local knowledge about local communities, the terrain, and the logistics. Without them, we couldn’t have successfully planned and reached the most needy in remote areas, among others. The government counterparts were knowledgeable, committed, and cooperative. Supporting the government to enhance its main and field offices would ensure its continued leadership and planning. Such support would be in the form of technical advice, and availing means of communication and transport.  

What did you observe during your field visits, and how did they influence your decisions?

Tarek: The field visits were truly eye-opening. They gave me a direct window into how the assistance was being received and where the operational bottlenecks were occurring. I visited several remote villages and distribution points, and what stood out immediately was the central role women played in the process. They were the primary recipients of the vouchers and were responsible for managing the food usage  within their households. I saw groups of women helping each other transport heavy food baskets using donkeys or wooden carts—there was a real sense of solidarity and mutual support. These visits also allowed me to speak directly with community leaders and local government officers who confirmed household satisfaction with the WFP modality and composition of food assistance. One issue that came up repeatedly was related to the registration process. Some households had been unintentionally left out of the beneficiary lists. In many cases, neighbors would step in and share their rations with those who were missed. This was a powerful reflection of the community’s resilience and compassion. So, the Government and WFP began advocating for better coordination with local chiefs and village councils, who know their communities best. We also pushed for earlier communication with retailers to ensure timely deliveries and reduce last-minute logistical issues. These field visits weren’t just symbolic—they were essential for making the response more accountable, inclusive, and effective. It also confirmed the validity of the food basket composition and chosen modalities of assistance.

How did you support the transition from emergency response to early recovery?

Tarek: The Government, with the support of WFP, arranged for an Emergency-response Review Workshop to include UN, Government sectors, and NGO partners at centre and field levels. We discussed what worked, what didn’t, and how to bridge emergency relief with early recovery. It was imperative that food and non-food assistance, and allowing for an early recovery approach, would help prevent migration from rural areas. As  people receive emergency aid and seeds in time, they stay, plant, and rebuild. Otherwise, they would have left their villages in search of work in urban areas, and the cycle of food insecurity continues.

Your deployment was relatively short, four months in total. If the deployment had been longer, what would have been your next priorities?

Tarek: First, I was fortunate to take part in such activities and meet such good and dedicated people. I wished that my deployment were earlier to coincide with the joint preparation of emergency plans and resource utilization. Further, additional deployment duration would have allowed me to attend to additional and important matters related to continuing real-time monitoring and conducting outcome monitoring. Moreover, enhancing the implementation of the Community Feedback Mechanism and Hotline to be managed and offered by WFP for all partners' use. I’d also work on formalizing coordination structures and integrated planning at both central and field levels, based on documented lessons learned and developed SOPs for future emergencies.

Any final reflections on the emergency response and what’s needed moving forward?

Tarek: Agencies responded effectively to the emergency despite limited funding and a constrained timeframe. The speed and dedication shown by humanitarian actors, including WFP and government counterparts, was commendable. We managed to reach some of the most remote and vulnerable communities in Lesotho under very challenging conditions—poor infrastructure, difficult terrain, and unpredictable weather. However, looking ahead, it’s clear that we need to move beyond reactive responses and strengthen coordination between activities at both the central and field levels.  Coordinated activities would also allow for joint initiatives—such as shared distribution plans, integrated feedback mechanisms, common monitoring and reporting to maximize the impact of limited resources. When agencies work in silos, we risk duplicating efforts or leaving critical gaps. But when we align our strategies and pool our capacities, we can deliver more comprehensive and efficient support.