This 2022 Annual Report provides insights into what was accomplished during the reporting year across diverse thematic areas. 

The Kingdom of Eswatini continues to face development challenges that impose negative effects on the wellbeing 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 water access; 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.

We are grateful that we kept to the promise of reaching out to the most vulnerable children, in line with our strategy, Our Promise. 

Mkhulu Ngalaza Joseph Myeni was forced to sleep holding his stick to kill snakes because his house was prone to snake visits, especially at night. His house was built with sticks only, thus had holes all around that snakes could take advantage of. 

For over two years, he has been living in this condition. His turnaround came this year, June 2022, when World Vision Eswatini introduced a Food for Asset Project. This enables communities to be engaged in communal projects and then get food as compensation. The community was mobilised to come and assist and, in return, they would get food month-end. 

Sigcineni High School was on the verge of being closed by the health ministry because their toilets were far below the expected standard. 

Earlier this year (2022), the state of the toilets in the school, with an enrolment of 325 pupils, had become so bad that some of the pupils would opt to use other options, such as relieving themselves in nearby forests.

The old toilets were horrible, and you needed to condition your mind before, during and after their use. 

The state of the old toilets at St. Juliana Primary School was a disadvantage, mostly to the girl child. As girls on puberty, they were forced to use old corrugated sheets as make-shift doors or go with their friends who will then block the doors while the others were using the toilets.

Last year, World Vision supported this school with the construction of new toilets for pupils and teachers. St. Juliana has an enrollment of 178 pupils, comprising of double orphans, others with a single parent, and from vulnerable families, and eight teacher

One of the greatest joys for most women is giving birth to a healthy, bouncing baby after nine months of anticipation. However, some expectant moms may face the agony of giving birth to a baby with a poor health status or, worse, the loss of their precious baby.

For expecting women of Tikhuba, Matsanjeni North of Eswatini, this was a real possibility, especially during the peak of COVID-19, due to the lack of necessary multi-vitamins and medications in clinics. The monthly cash transfers received by the women of Tikhuba community meant they did not have to stress about attending antenatal care visits promptly, eating right and getting the necessary supplements.

After wearing old plastic open flops to school, Nhlakanipho Myeni, who aspires to be a doctor, was pleased to get a new pair of shoes. He hasn't had a pair of school shoes in over three years, and he sometimes used to walk to Mlindawe Primary School barefoot. He also got a school jersey and a backpack to carry his books around in.

Praise Nkambule (12), a Grade 6 student, is one of the beneficiaries and lives with his grandmother. His father, who used to buy him school shoes, died early this year, so he had to go to school in old, torn shoes.

Nkiliji community has been getting water from a protected spring for over seven years. Before the protected spring, this community was getting dirty water from a running river. From time to time the residents would suffer diarrhea and other water borne diseases, long queues were hindering children to have ample study time.

Ekukhanyeni Area Program decided to implement a water system known as Nkiliji Water Project to provide clean water in the community. Currently five water taps have been installed and over 345 people in 45 households are benefiting.

Over the years, Mahangeni community has lost a number of children through drowning in the Ngwavuma River while fetching water. This was the only water source for the community, with some households travelling up to three hours to and from the river.

The community decided to approach World Vision for assistance. The solar-powered water system was finally completed last month (October 2022), and about 40 households, with over 200 people, are benefiting from the project.

From waking up in the wee hours of the morning, at 2am, in order to walk the long distance to fetch water for a bath before school, to becoming one of the country's top students in the EGCSE Examination of 2021/22, one can only imagine the determination of this young girl. This is the story of 18-year-old Setsabile.

She becomes quite emotional as she recalls how, as a little girl in primary school at the time, she would be so terrified of the dark. She feared all forms of danger, including being violated in some way, as she walked with others to fetch water for her morning bath. ­

Having been going at their vegetable farming project for seven years, members of Mpalane Garden Association were beginning to lose hope when there was little income to show for their efforts.

Whatever they planted often got destroyed by livestock coming into the garden and eating anything that was beginning to sprout.

Back in 2012, no one could have imagined that a small gift of a goat to a 12-year-old girl would one day feed a whole family and help send several children to school.

Phindile is one example of children and families that use what they are given profitably to ensure a positive change in their lives. The former sponsored child says she wishes to continuously grow her business and ensure that she and her family do not lack.

Reports of violence, particularly sexual violence against children, continue to hog the news in Eswatini, despite the introduction of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act two years ago. World Vision is keen to see children protected and, those who experience any forms of violence, receive justice. The organisation recently hosted a workshop for prosecutors and police officers in Eswatini to learn and discuss how the country can improve justice delivery for children.

Submitting his letter on the last day of the letter writing competition,12-year-old Ngcebo from rural Gundvwini Primary School did not anticipate winning the national letter writing competition. He will be representing Eswatini in the global letter writing competition. Most importantly, the competition was entered by over 900 children countrywide. Ngcebo was motivated by his teacher, Lungile Masuku to enter the competition. 

The competition, hosted by the Eswatini Communications Commission, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Eswatini Posts & Telecommunications Corporation, UNICEF, Macmillan Education, and World Vision, ran from 21 February to 21 March 2022. 

Fifteen-year-old Sethu has suddenly become a community hero after beating more than 1,000 children to scoop third position in Eswatini’s national letter-writing competition for 2021.

Sethu is a sponsored child from World Vision’s Shewula Area Programme, situated about 144km from the capital city, Mbabane. She beat other learners from both rural and urban schools in the 13-18-year-olds’ Siswati category.

World Vision regrets reports of the closure of schools in Eswatini, and encourages all parties in the current situation to work in a way that allows children to continue their education, in peace and security.  The most vulnerable children in Eswatini deserve their chance to prepare for the future with a good education.

We remain committed to responding to the needs of children and communities, providing our assistance where children are most in need.

True to its humanitarian mandate, World Vision Taiwan, through World Vision Eswatini, has donated 3,000 metric tonnes of rice to Eswatini to help alleviate hunger amongst the country’s most vulnerable. The donation is in addition to 400 metric tonnes of rice donated by the Government of Taiwan. The total of 3,400 metric tonnes of rice will see more than 200,000 people benefitting in 59 tinkhundla (constituencies) across the country.