Shiselweni Project, Swaziland

See the progress you helped make happen in your sponsored community

When the project started, around half of all children weren't enrolled in primary school, and schools lacked resources. Many families didn't have access to clean water or hygienic toilets and a lack of farming skills led to poor crop yields and low incomes.

Thanks to your support, your sponsored child and other children in the Shiselweni community have improved access to education, healthcare and clean water and their families have new income opportunities.

Together we've achieved so much

97 percent of children were enrolled in primary school in 2016

This is a large increase from 2014, when only 47 percent of girls and 52 percent of boys were enrolled in school.

  • 55 teachers from 19 primary schools were trained in new teaching methods to improve literacy for 1,289 children, which in turn helped raise the pass rate in schools.
  • 18 reading clubs were established and supplied with books and shelving to help children learn to read and write, and 26 reading club volunteers were trained in literacy and numeracy to provide extra support to children outside of the classroom.
  • 12 teachers were trained in information technology and four schools supplied with 20 computers each to improve children’s computer skills and prepare them for vocational training and employment once they have finished school.

Six boreholes were repaired and one borehole dug

Water committees have been formed and trained to maintain the water systems to ensure clean water into the future.

  • 84 percent of households have access to water purification methods, up from 29 percent in 2014, which has lowered the rate of illness from drinking dirty water.
  • 18 schools were upgraded with hand-washing facilities to help prevent the spread of disease. Information sessions on good hygiene lowered the diarrhoea rate, which was a major cause of illness in young children.
  • 10 schools gained water harvesting methods such as rainwater tanks to give 1,200 schoolchildren access to clean drinking water.

53 percent of households have increased their incomes

This followed a livelihoods project that trained farmers in agriculture, livestock-rearing and business skills.

  • One of the most significant achievements has been the evolution of farmers from growing food for survival to now running a successful commercial fruit and vegetable cooperative. The co-op has supply contracts with supermarkets in nearby towns, a truck for deliveries, and is in the process of building warehouses to store produce.
  • 12 savings groups helped families access small loans and gain financial skills, with 240 people pooling their resources and learning how to save money to pay for their children’s education, food and essential household items.
  • 215 students from four schools gained vocational skills such as soap-making, along with experience working with community business cooperatives that will help them earn income in the future.

"At Shiselweni we have benefited from Australian sponsors. There weren’t handouts – there was a lot on how to do things on our own."

- Nxumalo, Village Headwoman