By Mbali Vilakati
MBABANE – Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thulisile Dladla has officially launched the livelihood project for child-headed households.
As part of the project, the DPM yesterday (Monday, June 17, 2024) visited two child-headed households to deliver different items that are meant to sustain them until they are old enough.
The items handed over included three goats and six indigenous chickens per household, 5 000 litres water tanks, water, goats kraal and fencing material.
The first household to be visited was a Mtsetfwa family of seven children. Their father died over two years ago and their mother had abandoned them. The children have been living with different family members because they did not have their own home.
According to information sourced from the DPM’s office Facebook page, the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) is currently constructing a two- bedroom house with a bathroom, kitchen and a sitting room for the family.
The DPM also visited the Mhlanga family at Ntabamhloshana. The family consists of two siblings, Siphilangani and her sister Fikile. Their house was rehabilitated after the December 2023 storm. The siblings have been provided with 20 dragon trees and their field has been planted with sweet-potatoes provided by the DPM’s office and NDMA. Fikile, through the DPM’s office will be attending hairdressing, manicure and pedicure training in Mbabane.
When addressing the families the DPM expressed her appreciation to the local chiefdoms for looking after the children and making sure they had their own land. “We are delivering material to some of the child-headed households. This includes water tanks, fence, goats and chickens. We want them to be self-sustained and be able to feed themselves while government pay school fee,” she said.
She further highlighted that the handover was part of the E1.7m meant to empower the vulnerable young people.
