In 2021, 5-year-old Minenhle’s life in Ngwavuma was a daily struggle. Living with her grandparents with no stable income, That year, World Vision's Sponsorship Programme stepped in & gifted her an indigenous chicken, a gesture that marked the beginning of a remarkable transformation.
A local high school in the rural Shiselweni region of Eswatini, used to struggle daily with a severe lack of water. For years, the school relied on a nearby river to meet its water needs. This meant that classes had to be paused regularly so students could fetch water from the river, about 30 minutes away. The situation was particularly challenging during the summer rains when the river would become dirty and unsafe to use. All this changed when World Vision Eswatini stepped in, through the Mahlangatsha Area Programme supported by World Vision USA.
Simphiwe’s life had always been a struggle for her, especially as a single mother trying to provide for her child.Everything began to change when she participated in group sessions, called “Stepping Stones” and “WORTH”, provided by the project in 2023. These sessions aim to help young girls move step by step to change behaviours and to build healthy relationships.
Bongimpilo, of Mantambe Area Programme, has been part of the “Halting The Spread Of HIV Amongst The Swazi Society” Project, which aims to transform the lives of young girls and women in underprivileged communities, since 2022. As Bongimpilo continued to work on the project, she found solace in knowing that she wasn't alone in her journey. She connected with other team members who shared similar experiences, forming a support network that helped her navigate her own challenges. Together, they shared stories, offered encouragement, and provided a safe space for vulnerability.
Sakhile, 23, has watched her life taking a huge turn ever since she was registered at 4 years old under World Vision's Sponsorship's Programme. She is now the only female artisan at her workplace.
A project named "Child-headed Household Farming" formed through a partnership with World Vision Eswatini and Esicojeni Foundation, ensured that Beauty has capital for generating income and securing her future.
On a mission to deliver on World Vision’s five-year strategy, FY23 was another successful year for World Vision Eswatini as we maximised our efforts to help the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life.
In this annual report, you will read how we provided solutions focused on the key technical programmes;
You will also learn how the organisation integrated interventions on Climate Change, Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI), as well as implementation of programmes in urban settings as priority areas.
Ayanda Shongwe from the Mtsambama constituency lost her first baby due to lack of knowledge about how she is supposed to take care of herself during pregnancy. World Vision stepped in and she now has a 5 month old healthy baby!
World Vision, an international Christian relief, development, and advocacy organisation, started operating in Eswatini in 1992 as an emergency relief organisation, before transitioning to transformational development and advocacy for the most vulnerable children, people and communities.
Eswatini continues to face development challenges that impose negative effects on the well-being of children. These include high levels of inequality and poverty, high unemployment rates, especially amongst the youth; high incidence and prevalence of communicable diseases (HIV and TB); high maternal mortality; high levels of chronic malnutrition; poor access to safe water; poor sanitation and hygiene; high incidence of violence, particularly gender-based violence against children (VAC) and women; high teenage pregnancy; and limited capacity to adapt to climate change.
WVE supports broader governmental initiatives targeted at these challenges, particularly where the most vulnerable children are impacted. The organisation works with existing community structures to ensure sustainability. WVE also works very closely with the communities served, including children, parents and caregivers, partners, faith leaders, government departments, parastatals, international agencies, and civil society. The active participation of children in the designing, delivering and reviewing of programmes is highly emphasised.
Access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene gives children and their families a chance to flourish. We believe every child deserves – and has the right – to use safe water and live in a clean environment.
Our Technical End-of-Programme Evaluation showed remarkable progress in access to potable water, which had improved from 3.9% when World Vision first arrived, to 100% in 2023. This was achieved through the Mpolonjeni Water Project, which provides safe water to 10 communities with 3,320 households.
It Takes Eswatini
