BY SIPHOSETHU MABUZA (INTERN)
MANZINI – Eight community projects across Eswatini have received a combined E2.03 million in grant funding from the Eswatini Environment Fund (EEF) to support initiatives focused on environmental protection and sustainable development.
The grants were awarded during the Eswatini Environment Fund Grants Award Ceremony for the 2026/27 Projects Cycle held at The George Hotel in Manzini, where Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Hon. Jane Mkhonta Simelane celebrated the continued growth of community-driven environmental action.
The Minister highlighted that the Eswatini Environment Fund, established through the Environment Management Act of 2002, was created to provide structured financing for environmental protection. She noted that the Fund has become a key mechanism for supporting initiatives that address environmental challenges while promoting sustainable practices at community level.
For the 2026/27 funding cycle, the Fund received 186 applications from organisations, communities, businesses, and institutions seeking support for environmental projects. Hon. Jane Mkhonta Simelane thanked all applicants for responding to the call and encouraged those who were not successful to remain committed, as applications are opened annually.
Following a rigorous evaluation process by the Eswatini Environment Fund Board of Trustees, eight projects were selected to receive seed funding. The awarded projects cover all four regions of the Kingdom, contributing to the Fund’s growing impact, which has now reached 90 supported community projects with more than E12 million in grants disbursed since inception.
The funded initiatives include a youth-owned waste management enterprise in Mbabane that is creating sustainable income opportunities for young people, a school project focused on growing crops and vegetables for learners from vulnerable backgrounds, and research aimed at conserving Sibhaha, a traditional plant of national importance.
Addressing the beneficiaries, Hon. Mkhonta Simelane congratulated them while emphasising the responsibility that comes with receiving public funding. She urged project implementers to ensure that funds are used strictly for approved activities and that projects are completed within the required timelines to deliver meaningful benefits to communities.
The Minister further announced plans to transform the National Environment Fund into a Mega Fund, which will bring together resources from government, the private sector, and international partners to strengthen environmental and climate financing in Eswatini.
She called for continued collaboration among stakeholders, stating that the grants represent an investment in the future of Eswatini and in communities that play a critical role in protecting the country’s natural heritage.
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