Skip to Main Content

Recent Projects Funded

RECENT PROJECTS FUNDED

2021 

 

Young Heroes - Life Support Grants - $1000

FOE provided $1,000 to the Young Heroes to help support 67 children with Life Support Grants for 4-months between April-July.  These orphaned and vulnerable children are typically supported through funds generated from the in-person MTNBushfire concert that happens every May, however the MTNBushfire concert was not able to happen in 2020 due to COVID.   

 

The Luke Commission - Oxygen Production Plant - $1000


 

FOE provided $1,000 to The Luke Commission for the building of an Oxygen production plant.  This plant, the very first oxygen production plant in Eswatini, will supply critically-needed oxygen for COVID-19 patients. TLC’s plant will continue to provide its life-giving resource, supplying medical oxygen to HIV-patients, TB patients, snake bite patients and other critical care patients. Beyond serving TLC patients, the plant is equipped to fill oxygen tanks to supply nearby hospitals and clinics. 


Swazi SHEROES Sewing and Design Production Workshop - $950

FOE provided $950 to Swazi SHEROES (working with Imbeleko Foundation in Manzini ), to train young women in sewing and handicraft skills in order to produce retail value products, as part of a skills and economic empowerment initiative. Swazi SHEROES is using sewing and handicrafts not only to teach practical, employable skills but also as an entry point to impart broader professional and entrepreneurial development. Funds were used to purchase sewing tools, notions, and hardware for the workshop. The sewing machines will be property of Swazi SHEROES to be available for this and future workshops. 

 

2020

 

Young Heroes - Neighborhood Care Points (Litsemba Project) $1,000 

FOE provided $1,000 to the Young Heroes Litsemba Project (Litsemba means “hope” in SiSwati) to assist vulnerable youth as the country fights against the devastating effects of the Covid virus. Young Hero empowers Swaziland’s most vulnerable youth through  life-support grants, healthcare, HIV education, prevention and care programs, educational support, and gender and economic empowerment programs. Their core program links sponsors with orphan families through monthly life-support grants sent directly via mobile money or their nearest local post office.


Luke Commission - Support for Covid Response - $1,000 

FOE provided the Luke Commission $1,000 for assistance to rural communities as the country fights against devastating effects of the Covid-19 virus. The Luke Commission sets up mobile hospital sites in the remote parts of this small country, serving the unemployed, elderly, the children, and the ill.  Over 61,570 medical patients have been treated. The Luke Commission’s headquarters, Miracle Campus and farm is now in Sidvokodvo, south of Manzini. That farm grows crops and supplies food to their staff members, HIV patients, campus patients, and other non-profit organizations in Swaziland.  They are hoping to add a Staff Development Center and a Specialized Care and Surgery Center. 

 

Bantwana Project - Mahaleni 2 Neighborhood Care Point Site  - $1,162 

The Bantwana Initiative for Vulnerable Children (Bantwana) provides child protection, early education/ development, nutrition, and health services to vulnerable children ages 0-5. The Friends of Eswatini provided funds to help support the construction of a 10m x 8m structure for Mahaleni 2 Neighborhood Care Point. 


 

Cabrini Ministries HIV/TB Crisis Response - $300

Cabrini Ministries Swaziland is a Catholic faith-based and community-based organization working in the Lubombo lowveld of Swaziland.  FOE assistance helped with HIV and TB services Cabrini provided to people in their target zone of Eswatini.

 

Possible Dreams International RPCV Girls Education Fund - $3,475 

Friends of Eswatini continued to assist a group of Eswatini RPCVs (who served in the mid-1980s) who have generously funded scholarships for Swazi girls since 2019.  FOE handles the financial transfers to Possible Dreams International, which is an Australian non-profit operating in Eswatini.

 

2019 

 

Peace Corps Partnership Program/Book Corner Library Project  - $250 

FOE provided $250 to Book Corner, a project led by PCV Brianna Dickinson.  In short, this project provided English reading materials for a primary school. The Project included hiring a local carpenter make bookcases. The books will be provided by a Rotary Club donation. Then teachers and students expand the corner by painting and decorating. As a follow up, teachers, mainly women will be trained regarding how to use the books as visual aids in English classes and methods of improving English skills using the books such as reading, reading comprehension.


Peace Corps Partnership Program/Camp BRO - $200 

FOE provided $250 via the Peace Corps Partnership Program to help fund the BRO (Boys Reaching Out) Youth Summit camp, organized by PCVs serving in Eswatini. The purpose of these camps are to help promising Swazi boys become men who can lead their country in a positive direction.By the end of the summit the boys will have improved their understanding of gender issues, relationships, fatherhood, and career and life success. This knowledge will continue to be disseminated in their communities and school through peer education.  

 

Possible Dreams International RPCV Girls Education Fund - $2933

Friends of Eswatini assisted a group of Eswatini RPCVs (who served in the mid-1980s) who have generously established a scholarship fund for Swazi girls.  FOE handles the financial transfers to Possible Dreams International, which is an Australian non-profit operating in Eswatini.

 

2018

 

Pasture Valley Children’s Home Project - $1000

Friends of Eswatini sponsored a Swazi student, Thakona, through the Pasture Valley Children's Home.  Our donation provided her with food, accommodation and training in entrepreneurship. This photo shows her receiving her certificate.  Pasture Valley Children's Home has 45 children housed and cared for on a dairy farm. Thakona was enrolled in the The Ambassadors for Hope program associated with Pasture Valley.


 

FUNDZA Library Support - $345

FoE provided funds to FUNDZA, a literacy organization in Eswatini.  Fundza is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) whose mission is to raise the literacy rate and promote life-long learning among Swazi children. They partner with African Library Project to provide reading materials to school libraries in Swaziland. In addition to providing books, Fundza trains teachers in library management and in methods to improve literacy.  They provide and promote HIV/AIDS materials, run annual school debate competitions and train other NGOs on how to manage their Information Resource Centers. During their 30 year history, they have helped develop nearly 400 school libraries throughout Eswatini.

 

Young Heroes: Orphan Support and Healthcare - $1680

Through the Young Heroes program, FOS provided funds to support three orphans resulting from the AIDS/HIV epidemic in Swaziland and provided healthcare for three children with HIV/AIDS.  The Young Heroes Foundation, founded in 2006, aims to provide financial support for the provision of basic necessities for orphans in Swaziland in addition to providing HIV testing and care programs. Swaziland is home to the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS globally, illustrated by a staggering number of 70,000 orphans and 15,000 households led by children as reported by Aid for Africa.

 

Art Reach - Artists Workshops for Social Development - via PC Partnership - $200

FoE contributed toward these Artist Workshops that focus on the development of youth and other marginalized groups (e.g., women and girls, special needs individuals) through projects that address issues such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic, female empowerment, youth development, education, and gender-based violence. 

 

 

2017

Books for Swaziland - via PC Partnership - $638

FoE provided additional funds for the Books for Swaziland project designed to establish new libraries or enhance existing school library facilities in rural Swaziland communities. 

 

Camp GLOW (Girls Leading our World) - Let Girls Learn - via PC Partnership - $500

FOS continued our support of this PCV-led annual camp for empowering young Swazi women.

 

Goat Production/Income Generation  - via PC Partnership - $500

We provided funds for PCV Blake Smith’s Women's Goat Enterprise Project through the Peace Corps Partnership Program. PCV Blake reported to us that, "All of the women have received their goats and are extremely thankful for your contribution. I have yet to see a group of women so happy in my community during my two years here. They are all breeding their goats and have started to supplement their income through the new livestock business. Personally, I know my host mother has been able to start paying tuition to send my sisi to the local preschool which they are both ecstatic about.  The money was well spent and is positively affecting women and OVCs in my community."


 

Art Reach - Artists Workshops for Social Development - via PC Partnership - $200

FoE contributed toward these Artist Workshops that focus on the development of youth and other marginalized groups (e.g., women and girls, special needs individuals) through projects that address issues such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic, female empowerment, youth development, education, and gender-based violence.