Hier kommt ein Brief des Direktors unserer LITSEMBA-Dachorganisation „Young Heroes“. Er enthält viele informative Zahlen. (Den ersten peinlichen Absatz könnt ihr ja einfach überlesen! 🙂
„I am Khulekani Magongo, the Executive Director for Young Heroes in the Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). I had the pleasure of meeting Ernst Engel and Kirsten Boie in 2017, two selfless individuals who work hard to give so generously to the orphans and children (OVC) of Eswatini.
Young Heroes is very grateful to have partnered with the Thomas Engel Foundation and the Moewenweg Foundation in the implementation of the Litsemba project. Litsemba, which means “hope” is a project that reaches out to about 3,000 orphans and vulnerable children (ages 0 – 8) with life saving health care, shelter, early childhood care and education, and provides access to food in hard to reach areas in the Shiselweni region. These foundations further join forces to provide clothing, food, shelter, and housing for the OVC.
Having reached a world record HIV prevalence rate estimated at 27.72% (Swaziland HIV Incidence Measurement Survey 2; 2016-2017), Eswatini battles with a population of orphans and vulnerable children mostly left under the care of unemployed and very old grandparents. Framed within a differentiated care approach, the Litsemba project aims at improving access to health, education, child protection, and household economic strengthening services of the most vulnerable children. This partnership further contributes towards the development of self-sustainable communities through economic strengthening and vocational skills initiatives. It also recognizes the unique role played by families and communities, the changing dynamics of the HIV epidemic, the impact of gender inequality and the socio-economic fragilities by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Thomas Engel Foundation together with the Moewenweg Foundation have lived up to the promise by giving hope to the children of Eswatini. This is evident in that;
- 2,162 children and 3,340 caregivers were reached through the mobile clinic,
- 387 children graduated in 2019 from the pre-school into the first grade of formal schools,
- 109 NCP teachers were trained on ECCE,
- 1,192 children received warm winter clothing,
- 475 caregivers received end of year grocery gifts to thank them for offering their time and energy as NCP caregivers and teachers,
- 2,824 children (0-8 years) received food at the NCPs during the peak of COVID-19
- 10 houses for OVCs including one disabled young man have been built
Through these initiatives, the children and vulnerable populations now have hope that somebody cares.
We understand that the heartfelt interventions of Ernst and Kirsten is backed by generous family members, friends, partnerships, and caring individuals who want to see a better world. The work of these individuals means a lot to the Eswatini children and I unreservedly recommend the Thomas Engel and Moewenweg Foundation for support.“