A speech by Prince Harry at the Sentebale Polo Cup, 2011

It is great to be here tonight, at the Second Sentebale Polo Cup. It is equally great to see so many of you supporting the cause and to see you all having such a blast.

Prince Seeiso and I set up Sentebale to improve the lives of the orphans and vulnerable children of Lesotho. This clear and simple vision remains as true today, seven years on, as it was when we first stood together in the mountains of Lesotho.

Vision is easy but how do we make it reality? In a number of ways. It might be as simple as putting a roof over an orphan’s head and giving her a hot meal at night. By doing just this we have already helped hundreds of children, giving them hope and health where there was none.
There is far more that we can do for them – but only with your help.

Currently, we are working in Lesotho with 12 local partners, each carefully selected because they make a real difference. This might be in education, caring for the especially vulnerable – orphans and those living with the curse of HIV – or through community projects that deliver hope and support to children and their families. We have also developed our own programmes, which have achieved recognition locally and internationally.
Talk of orphans and vulnerable children seems a million miles away from where we are tonight, in the glorious setting of Coworth Park.

But, even now, just talking about this, I have the clearest picture in my mind of a young herd boy called Tholo. William and I met him one night last summer when we were in Lesotho together. He was seven years old. He had walked on his own through the cold and darkness for five miles.

Who told him to do this? No-one – it was his decision. Why did he do it? Because he wanted to learn how to read and write. You see, he wants to become a Doctor so that - in his own words - he can help his people. I am determined that he should be given the chance to realise his dream. That is what Sentebale means to me. It can only happen through your generosity, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.