In a bid to address language barriers in digital technology through modern artificial intelligence platforms, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has called on young people with digital expertise to submit applications aimed at integrating the Sesotho language into digital systems.
UNDP representative Mr Teboho Khoali said that, in line with Lesotho’s five-year National Development Plan, the government intends to deliver public services and make them more accessible to communities through digital platforms. He noted that many Basotho are lagging behind or facing challenges in the use of digital technology, adding that integrating Sesotho into AI platforms would enable citizens to interact with digital tools in a language they fully understand.
One of the successful young innovators from the Sesotho AI Hackathon, Ms Relebohile Mululela, emphasized the importance of indigenous languages, describing the initiative as a major milestone in empowering Basotho to communicate with digital platforms in their own language.
Ms Mululela is among three teams that were awarded and advanced to the next level of support and development, marking a significant step towards scaling up inclusive, AI-driven solutions in the country.
