BY BANELE MAGONGO
MBABANE – With the unwavering commitment of The U.S President Emergency Plan AIDS Relief (PEPFAR’s) DREAMS program, adolescent girls and young women in Eswatini are empowered to transform their lives and pursue their ambitions.
This is done by equipping young women with essential business skills and instilling in them a sense of self-confidence and resilience.
The DREAMS program has had a profound impact on the lives of many young women in Eswatini, including Shlelelwe Skhondze, Bulelwa Mgadula, and Nomphumelelo Gamedze, whose personal stories of resilience and empowerment are truly inspiring.
These young women, who run their businesses from the DREAMS Safe Space in Siphofaneni, have formed a strong bond, helping each other in their fashion design, nail care, and hairdressing endeavours.
Their success has not only brought them financial independence but also the ability to support their families and protect themselves from sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies. The sisterhood they have formed is a powerful symbol of the impact that the PEPFAR DREAMS program is having on their lives and their communities.
The young women are also inspired to recommend health services and engage their clients in discussions about health issues. This not only enriches the hairdressing, nail care, and fashion design experience for their customers but also ensures that young women and adolescent girls are better informed about maintaining their health.
The Safe Space itself is a source of health information, displaying posters and providing pamphlets to educate clients about various health issues. In this way, these young women are using their businesses as platforms for promoting health and well-being in their community.
