BY GCWALISLE MHLABANE
MANZINI – Access to safe water in Mahlalini has increased from 71 per cent to 92 per cent, with more than 4 200 households gaining access to clean water through an 18-year World Vision Eswatini development programme.
The figures were revealed during the official handover of the Mahlalini Area Development Programme on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, marking the end of World Vision’s direct implementation in the area.
Since 2008, World Vision has reached more than 26 000 residents, including 5 000 children, through interventions in water, livelihoods, health, education, food security, child protection and broader community development.
For more than 4 200 households, the increase in access to clean water represents improved access to a basic necessity that families depend on every day.
World Vision Eswatini National Director Amos Zaindi said the progress achieved in Mahlalini needed to be protected and expanded after the organisation’s transition from direct implementation.
“As World Vision transitions from direct implementation, we request the Ministry, through its development programmes and community development initiatives, to support the scaling up of the areas where gaps remain,” Zaindi said.
He said continued investment in livelihoods, food security, climate resilience, youth empowerment, sanitation and hygiene promotion would help consolidate the gains already achieved.
“The sustainability of these achievements will depend on strong collaboration between communities, traditional leadership, and other development partners,” Zaindi said.
Zaindi said the transition marked a new chapter for Mahlalini, with the community and its partners expected to build on the progress made over the past 18 years.
The programme’s impact extends beyond water, with World Vision’s work also touching health, education, livelihoods, food security and child protection.
For Mahlalini residents, however, the rise in safe-water access from 71 per cent to 92 per cent provides a tangible measure of change — one experienced in households and communities.
As World Vision concludes its direct implementation in the area, the challenge is to sustain the progress already made while extending essential services to residents who remain unreached.
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(Courtesy Pic)
