View of SOS Children's Village Nhlangano - Photo: SOS Archives
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In August 2001 the first children were admitted to SOS Children's Village Nhlangano, located in the southern part of Swaziland, ten kilometres from the South African border. Since then the village is fully occupied with about one hundred children. A kindergarten and a small clinic share the village site. The work of SOS Children's Villages in the small kingdom of Swaziland began in 1987 with the construction of the village in Mbabane. Due to the high number of orphans and the lack of adequate care facilities, the decision was made to build another SOS Children's Village at the end of the nineties. King Mswati III., delegates from the local community and public authorities as well as representatives from SOS Children's Villages will take part in the opening ceremony.
Woman from the neighbourhood provided with basic food - Photo: E. Winkler
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Because of the dramatic food crisis threatening large parts of the population, SOS Children's Village Nhlangano started an emergency feeding programme for neighbouring families, which supplies them with basic foodstuffs and seeds as well as with help with planting new crops.
But the population of Swaziland is also struggling with another existential problem which is also influencing the food situation: Like many other countries in southern Africa they are confronted daily with the impact of AIDS. Swaziland is hardly able to cope with the dimensions of the epidemic. One of the main problems is providing care for thousands of AIDS orphans, which SOS Children's Villages aims to help overcome with extended social outreach programmes.
Photo: E. Winkler
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In cooperation with the Salvation Army, the SOS Social Centre in Mbabane has developed a family carer model which supports HIV/AIDS affected families. Around 60 families, headed by grandparents or children, are provided monthly with food, clothes and school fees as well as medical and psychological help. They are also supported in finding income-generating possibilities and in gaining life skills to improve their living conditions in general and on a sustainable basis. Together with 15 volunteer family carers a professional nurse coordinates this family carer programme. In total 300 children, whose parents and close relatives died due to HIV/AIDS and who are at high risk of poverty and neglect, are cared for.