Maphalaleni and Mpolonjeni Area Programmes transition, leaving communities with sustainable development
World Vision in Eswatini’s has bid farewell to Maphalaleni and Mpolonjeni after a combined 46 years of transformational work in the two areas respectively.
Speaking at the closing ceremony World Vision Estwatini National Director Tinah Mukunda, said the transitioning out of the communities was a normal occurrence when World Vision has completed its objective in a community.
“An AP's transition doesn’t mean that World Vision is leaving the country, but because it is time to let community stand on their own as we move on to support other areas of the country,” she explained.
The national director further called on the community leadership in the two communities to ensure sustainability of the infrastructure development left in the communities for the betterment of lives of children.
“As World Vision, we would, therefore, like to request and encourage that the community leadership continues to ensure continuous development of their communities and avoid regression”, she added.
World Vision Eswatini has since handed over the Mpolonjeni Office, with its furniture included, over to the Royal Eswatini Police Service to be used as a police post while in the Maphalaleni Office, including the furniture inside, was left to be used as Maphalaleni Inkhundla.
Achievement Scored in Maphaleleni Area Programme
Maphaleleni Area Programme under communities Hhohho region which has been operational for 24 years and served 12 communities namely Maphalaleni, Kasiko, Dlozini, Mabeleni, Mfeni, Nsingweni, Mcengeni, Ntsintsa, Sitsenim Meleti, Ntsanjeni and Madlolo was able to achievement the following achievements.
The Area Programme’s main goal was to improve the quality of life for the area’s population, through empowering communities in carrying out sustainable developmental activities.
Phasing out, the Area Programme ensured the undermentioned achievements:
-Proportion of households with access to sanitation facilities at 97.8%
-Proportion of households with access to clean water supply within 30 minutes at 57.7%
-rate of parents or caregivers with appropriate hand-washing behaviour at 71.3%
-163 savings and lending groups have been established, with 2,548 members reached each year
-573 households have businesses ranging from poultry (broilers), vegetable garden schemes, piggery, a feedlot and dairy project and sewing.
-Proportion of children with birth registration significantly at 98%
-83% of children in Maphalaleni AP feel safe to report abuse cases through World Vision Eswatini’s “It Takes Eswatini to End Sexual Violence Against Children” Campaign interventions
Achievement Scored in Mpolonjeni Area Programme
Meanwhile, Mpolonjeni Area Programme which operated for 22 years, has left a huge impact in the 10 communities it served. In the years this World Vision Are Programme office worked in these communities, it ensured development in these following areas:
-Under the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Technical Programme, remarkable progress when it comes to access to potable water was achieved, from 3.9% when World Vision first arrived to 100%. 10 communities with 3,320 households, totalling 18,089 people, the whole population of the Mpolonjeni Area Programme were provided with safe water
-Livelihoods: supported 1,200 farmers with drought-tolerant farm inputs in the form of cow peas, sorghum seeds and fertiliser in the past five years, successfully implemented the Savings Group Model,
- Signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry to support the setting up of birth registration facilities in a number of health facilities around the country’s regions, including Mpolonjeni AP
- Registered children (RCs) in the programme is 1,323, all of which are sponsored.