BY TANDZILE DLAMINI
MBABANE — Three vulnerable child headed households in the Lubombo Region received newly built homes on Wednesday after Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla officially handed over houses commissioned by Their Majesties to rescue orphaned children from unsafe and inhumane living conditions.
The houses were handed over on May 27, 2026, at Nkonjwa, Mbosi and Mpompotha. The initiative was funded by the Republic of China (Taiwan), facilitated by the National Disaster Risk Management Authority (NDRMA), while the Inyatsi Foundation donated food hampers worth E15 000 to support the families.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Dladla said His Majesty King Mswati III had directed chiefs across the country to allocate land to vulnerable children so they could build decent homes and live in dignity. “His Majesty does not want children living in places that are inhumane. Their Majesties sent us to take care of children,” said Dladla.
She said the directive had already changed lives in areas such as Nkonjwa where vulnerable children had received land through support from traditional leaders. Among the beneficiaries was the Gwala family at Nkonjwa, a child headed household that lost both parents in 2014. Since then, the three siblings, two girls and one boy, have been living on their own in a cramped one room structure after the umphakatsi allocated them land and renovated a small house. Neighbours also stepped in over the years to help care for the children.
Dladla personally handed over the new house to the family. Temusa Gwala, who became head of the household at just 13 years old after her parents died, said the family had lived through years of hardship and uncertainty without proper shelter. “Today, I can finally rest with peace of mind no matter the weather outside. I am very thankful, and my prayer is that many other needy families may also receive the same kind of support,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Sengetile Sihlongonyane of Phunga, had been living without a home together with her 13 year old daughter before receiving assistance. At Mpompotha, Given Msibi, who was raised by his grandmother after losing his parents, had been living in a dilapidated stick and mud hut.
Dladla announced that Msibi would begin receiving life skills training next week through programmes coordinated by the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office and its partners. She also revealed that all three homes would be fitted with solar systems and fenced to improve safety and living conditions. Dladla thanked the chiefdoms for allocating land to the families and praised development partners for supporting the initiative.
“Such cases fall directly under the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, and we must ensure that we provide all necessary assistance until they are able to stand on their own,” she said. Sithobelweni Member of Parliament Mancoba Sihlongonyane thanked Their Majesties for prioritising vulnerable children despite financial pressures facing government departments. “Yes, the DPMO budget is very tight , but they continue trying to cover almost everyone in need,” he said.
For the three households, Wednesday’s handover marked more than the delivery of houses. It marked the end of years of fear, instability and hardship, and the beginning of a safer future.
#ChildHeadedFamilies #Lubombo #DPMOEswatini #HousingForAll #HopeForChildren #Eswatini
(Courtesy Pic)
