BY TANDZILE DLAMINI
BULANDZENI — Children from vulnerable households are set to benefit from a new skills development drive, as Caritas Eswatini and Homeplan expand their housing initiative to include construction training aimed at equipping young people with practical skills, creating income opportunities for families, and improving long term livelihoods.
The programme was outlined during the handover of three houses at Bulandzeni under Ndzingeni Inkhundla, led by Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla. Project Coordinator Machawe Ngcamphalala said the next phase of the initiative will focus on identifying children from vulnerable homesteads and training them in construction, enabling them to take part in building houses while earning income to support their families.
“We are now looking at the social life of the children in these homesteads. We want to equip them with construction skills so that in future, these houses can be built by them while they also make money for their families,” he said.
Ngcamphalala explained that the initiative goes beyond providing shelter, placing equal focus on education and skills development to prepare children for future opportunities.
“We do not just hand over a house and leave the family like that. We look into the future of the children, help them go back to school, and teach them skills they need so that they can tackle life,” he said.
He added that the programme is guided by values rooted in the Church’s mission of service and compassion. “The Church is Caritas. Caritas means love in words, as inspired by Pope Francis, who says mercy is a journey that begins in the heart and ends in the hands. As Caritas, we translate those words into something tangible,” he said.
Ngcamphalala also highlighted Homeplan’s guiding principle, saying the organisation’s motto, “A house, a home and a future,” reflects a broader vision beyond construction. “As we hand over a house, it is the responsibility of the family to turn it into a home, while we support them in building a better future,” he said.
The integrated approach, combining housing support with education and skills training, is expected to open pathways for employment while restoring dignity and hope within vulnerable communities.
