From Grass Mats to a Good Night’s Sleep: Support Reaches a Family in Need

In the quiet community of Ntondozi lives the Bhembe family, a large household of thirteen, led by grandmother Linah Bhembe. Each day, the family works tirelessly, taking on piece jobs within the community just to meet their most basic needs. Despite their efforts, life has not been easy.

For years, Linah and her grandchildren slept on grass mats laid on the cold floor. “It was painful to watch the children sleep like that,” she says softly. “There was nothing else we could afford.”

That changed when World Vision Eswatini, through its Gifts-in-Kind (GIK) programme, brought the family a mattress, bed sheets, pillows, and soap. The simple gifts brought immense relief and renewed dignity to their humble home.

Today, Linah and her grandchildren sleep on a proper mattress, a change that has transformed their nights.

“The children now sleep comfortably,” Linah shares with a grateful smile. “They are happy and I am at peace knowing they have a warm place to rest.”

The donation also included soap, which Linah uses to keep her grandchildren clean and wash their clothes, a small but meaningful improvement that strengthens daily hygiene and wellbeing.

The Gifts-in-Kind (GIK) programme is one of World Vision’s initiatives that complement regular programmes through channelling donated goods, such as clothing, bedding, hygiene products, school desks and chairs, toys, and household essentials to vulnerable families. By providing these much-needed supplies, the programme helps improve living conditions, restore dignity, and meet immediate needs for children and families facing poverty and hardship.