I spent last week in Swaziland. It was my first ever trip to Africa. I was there getting to know the countryside, the people and a huge philanthropic initiative my Swazi-friends have taken on to help their local communities.
I flew to Johannesburg in South Africa and from there I was picked up by my friends and we drove five hours on a very good road to Mbabane, the capital of Swaziland.
I wasn't a tourist, so there were no safaris or other kinds of touristy things on my schedule. I was there to get acquainted with a grass roots level organisation, helping the communities in Swaziland in six centres situated in the main cities and in the rural area. I was there to see how I could share my leadership experience with community development and lend a fresh perspective to overseeing the organisational operations my friends have undertaken. This is what I have always wanted to do as a compassionate world traveler. Really practical application of compassionate action.
What I found was short of breathtaking:
The population of Swaziland is around one million mark in the country. Around 3.5 million Swazi-people are living on the South-African side in the immediate area to their country, all under the leadership of a king and his mother. I was touring with the best possible people so I had an opportunity to get an understanding of the Swazi culture from the inside.
I found it very fascinating and would recommend that a newcomer would take care and practice his/her cultural intelligence carefully by leaving their pre consisting attitudes behind and only after listening make judgements about the culture they encounter.
The Swazi-culture is dual in its every facet. There is the traditional tribal culture intertwined with the modern civilian laws which take some absorption to understand but in the end can make good sense. All Swazi-people love their King to bits, undivided.
Coming from Australia, I found it most fascinating that there is so much red rock and earth around. Iron ore is mined and transported in huge trucks to Mozambique for shipping to wherever it will be developed.
This looks so much like walking in the bush in the Australian outback.
There is plenty of scenic variation in the country from very high country to low lands. The huge lake in the previous picture is actually a dam that provides irrigation to a large highland region of the north Swaziland.
I met lots of local people. Here are some women from a women's group at the Kuphila (to have life) Centre at Mbombotha. They meet every Tuesday to produce whatever is decided as a weekly product for co-operative sale. Here with newly cooked floor polish that is used to protect and polish the concrete floors in their homes. Many other products are also produced from peanut butter to crocheted shoes.
Floor polish
Traditional crafts made from crass
Vaseline from Aloe Vera and shoes.
However, the most urgent need in Swaziland is to help the orphans, whose parents have died of AIDS to a better future. My friends help them on the crass roots level, directly in their local communities by feeding them daily, by education, activities and skilling.
Here is the coordinator at the Kuphila Centre at Emkhuzweni cooking what might be the only daily meal the vulnerable children and youth get in the area. There might be some adults there also.
These children really need your support. There are pre-schools that can take orphans in with other children. The term fee is around $50 AUS or €45. There are three terms in a school-year. Just email me on ejuusola@bigpond.net.au if you want information on how to directly support orphans in Swaziland through my consultancy's 'immediate relief fund'.
You can see this type of huts at every house in the country. They are used as dwellings but at least one is there for the family meetings. The attached roof is made from the ordinary crass that grows everywhere. The sun and the rain turns it black.
Here seen from the inside.
And here is the edge. It is really thick, about 30cms.
On the roadside, you may encounter local craft centers, where talented artists and other people sell their artworks and products. This man, for example has learned his trade from his grandfather and is now producing African animals carved from local wood and stone. He regularly attends national competitions and has won several prizes.
The roadside craft market at the north of Swaziland
At the chief's lands there are bush that can be turned into gardens to help with the food security of the community.
It is possible to grow crops also in winter, however, often the irrigation is a huge problem. Here, for example the irrigation could be lead from the nearby river, if there were some resources. My immediate relief fund can help you to support the gardening activity also. Just let me know by email and I will send more information.
Here is the recently built Mbombotha Centre, that has such potential for helping the people of the local community. A pre-school has already been founded and started here. But more needs to be done, especially by skilling youth and women to a better future.
There is space to expand to help orphans as well. Your direct support would be greatly appreciated in any form. Just let me know and I will be able to network with you about information. I can be befriended on LinkedIn as well.
This now an empty center was built by a Canadian person, who came here to help. She is gone now and the centre is idle but in prime condition. There are plans for its development as it would be ideal as an arts centre. Support is needed there, too.
Everywhere, I travel in Swaziland, I encounter huge possibilities and enormous need for co-operation with compassionate projects from abroad and such warmth from the local communities and especially my hosts, who coordinate voluntary teams that work in the communities, maybe only once a month. Lots of pastors are involved in the grass roots community work as is expected. My friends organisation for example provides skilling in how to psychologically manage the huge tasks taken on by direct voluntary or paid staff.
There are people who have developed very successful tourist businesses in Swaziland. The owners of this famous establishment came to visit the country and never left. Here they have a multi-purpose events area, an excellent restaurant, shops and tourist services under one roof, so to say.
Here is the restaurant where we had a fabulous meal.
In this area there will be a huge youth event just as I am leaving the country. Some wonderful craftsmanship and design ideas are used to create new environment for different purposes.
'Gone Rural' is one of the Swaziland's success stories in exporting high class designer items abroad. This is the local store right there.
The products are magnificent.
And the proof of the quality can be witnessed around the world in the most prestigious shops.
This is the Ematjeni Guest House courtyard. Such luxury is hard to find anywhere where the guests are so warmly and individually cared for. It is like being a visitor at someone's private home.
And here is the fabulous view, right from my window:
So, if you are planning a trip to Africa, why not plan on visiting Swaziland. You won't be disappointed. It will be interesting in a very wonderful way.
Next time around, I will do some 'touristy' things as well and see what more there is to offer. For now, I thank the compassionate people of Swaziland I have had a pleasure of getting to know and look forwards to my next visit there, which surely will be in an immediate future.
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