World Vision Eswatini Strengthens Child Protection Through Relational Spaces for Children

For 17-year-old Snethemba, being given the opportunity to openly express her thoughts and feelings was something both rare and meaningful.

“It is not every day that young people get an opportunity to express themselves,” she said, reflecting on her experience during a recent Relational Spaces for Children session facilitated by World Vision Eswatini.

Snethemba was one of the young participants who took part in the interactive sessions held during a week-long workshop aimed at strengthening the way adults engage with children. But beyond the activities and discussions, what stood out most for her was the chance to be heard. She appreciated World Vision for creating a safe and welcoming environment where young people could speak freely about their thoughts, feelings, and concerns, something many children do not often experience.

Too often, children are expected to stay silent, even when they are carrying worries, fears, or unanswered questions. Without trusted spaces to express themselves, their concerns can go unheard, leaving emotional and social needs unmet. Through the Relational Spaces for Children approach, World Vision Eswatini is helping to change that. The model encourages adults to build trusting relationships with children and create environments where they feel valued, respected, and free to express what is on their minds.

According to Zanele Gamedze, Senior Integrated Child Protection and Sponsorship Lead, this approach gives children the freedom to talk openly about what may be troubling them. She encouraged other offices to embrace the Relational Spaces approach, noting that it creates opportunities for children to speak freely in environments where they feel safe and supported. For children like Snethemba, being listened to can make all the difference. It helps build confidence, strengthens emotional well-being, and reminds them that their voices matter.

By creating spaces where children are heard, World Vision Eswatini is facilitating conversations and helping nurture a generation of young people who know that their feelings are important and that they deserve to be listened to.