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Dear Friends of Eswatini
This year, in the Kingdom we all once called home, thousands of Swazi citizens have taken to the street to demand democratic reform, express their discontent with the government's response to overlapping crises, and help usher in a new tomorrow. It is the most explosive unrest the country has seen in its 53 years of independence from colonization with frequent clashes between protestors and state actors leading to arrests, violence and even death. While the nation is experiencing profound upheaval, there are still plenty of reasons for hope and even more opportunities for organizations like ours to offer support to those impacted most by the confluence of issues facing Eswatini.
Time for Us to Step Up
When Peace Corps volunteers were evacuated in 2020, Friends of Eswatini, who often funded volunteer projects, needed to pivot quickly. We did so by leaning on our community partners and building even stronger relationships with those still on the ground. Despite communication challenges, FoE has been able to either partially or fully fund at least ten projects in 2020-2021 to assist with the dual health crisis of COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS. We have provided grants to girls' education funds, neighborhood care points, income generating projects, pandemic response, public health infrastructure, and crisis management.
We are committed to doing even more in 2022, but we need your support. We are reaching out to you, concerned Friends and loyal supporters, to request you join us in our efforts to help the people of Eswatini in these difficult times. Not only can you be assured your money will be well-spent, thanks to a number of generous contributions, we can match your donation (up to $100) until the end of the year.
Additionally, if you join our organization or renew your membership at the friend/family tier or above, you will be entitled to a free FoE t-shirt (current sizes available are M/L/XL), while supplies last.
As always, we hope you and yours (including the members of your Eswatini family) are well. Please feel free to reach out anytime.
Sala Kahle and Happy Holidays,
The Friends of Eswatini Board
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