WVE joins World Diabetes Day, Promotes Indigenous Seeds for Healthier Communities

World Vision Eswatini joined the Ministry of Health, the Embassy of the Republic of China on Taiwan in Eswatini, and other partners in commemorating World Diabetes 2025 under the theme: “Eat right. Exercise more. Live healthy.”  The event took place at the Mbabane Municipal parking lot on Friday, 14th November 2025.

Together, the partners celebrated ongoing efforts to prevent and manage diabetes across the country and raised awareness on the disease, a growing public concern affecting young and old members of society. The team from the World Vision-implemented Taiwan Africa Vegetable Initiative (TAVI) engaged and inspired participants through information sharing. The project showcased the power of healthy eating by promoting indigenous seeds as a pathway to stronger, healthier communities. 

The event provided an opportunity to present the projects’ key interventions and contributions to the prevention of non-communicable diseases to key stakeholders, including the Minister for Health, Honourable Mduduzi Matsebula, Ambassador of Taiwan in Eswatini; HE Jeremy H. S. Liang, and Lungile Kubheka, who represented HRH Princess Tsandzile, the Hhohho Regional Administrator.

The TAVI project, funded by the Government of Taiwan through the World Vegetable Center, supports the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health’s efforts to capacitate farmers and communities to grow indigenous vegetables and prepare these in a way that preserves nutrients, thus ensuring healthier eating. This aligns with World Vision’s ENOUGH Campaign to End Child Hunger and Malnutrition.

Also represented at the event and showcasing their health interventions, were the National Emergency Response on HIV and AIDS (NERCHA), Georgetown University, as well as World Vision’s Halting the Spread of HIV Project, which is funded by the Global Fund through the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations (CANGO). The Halt Project supports the health ministry’s efforts to prevent new HIV infections among Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) and their Male Sexual Partners (MSP). 

Overall, a healthy lifestyle and healthy eating are key in maintaining good health, whether one is living with HIV or not, thus reducing their chances of developing non-communicable diseases, including diabetes. World Diabetes Day is commemorated annually on the 14th of November as the primary global awareness campaign focusing on diabetes mellitus. The global event is led by the International Diabetes Federation, and each World Diabetes Day focuses on a theme related to diabetes.