Economic Growth Eswatini Project #18319

Jobs for 250 Impoverished Families in Swaziland

by Kudvumisa Foundation USA Inc

Jobs for 250 Impoverished Families in Swaziland

Project Report | Apr 28, 2025
Empowering Families Through Economic Development

By Temnotfo Mvubu | Grant Writer/Research

Delivering live crawfish, caught in the community

In the challenging landscape of rural Lubombo, where poverty often casts a long shadow, our non-profit serves as a beacon of hope. Our economic development projects reflect our firm belief in the potential of individuals and families to overcome adversity and build a better future. With every skill we nurture and income opportunity we create, we’re not just changing lives; we’re igniting sustainable change. This report provides an update on our ongoing work and the power of community-driven development; an achievement made possible by your incredible support.

Our initiatives tackle community challenges of poverty and limited opportunities by leveraging local resources and skills, building market connections, and providing business and skills training for sustainable growth.

Over the last few months, work has continued across these various EDP (Economic development project) touch points:

Marula Oil Production: Women, with strength and tradition, carefully crack marula nuts. This process does more than extract oil; it creates a future for their families. We provide a market for these nuts at E50 per kilo, ensuring that their labor translates into tangible empowerment, providing income for their homes. Our bottled marula oil is available in various establishments across the country, targeting tourists and skincare lovers.
Crawfish: In nearby communities, local residents harvest crawfish, a valuable resource now reaching local restaurants. We're working on building connections between these communities and the markets, creating a sustainable cycle of income and opportunity.
Home-Based Businesses (Singumndeni Outreach Program): Our Singumndeni Outreach Program supports caregivers of disabled children in Lubombo, many of whom experience significant poverty. We recently launched a pilot program that empowers these caregivers to establish home-based businesses, allowing them to provide for their children while gaining economic independence. One success story from this initiative is Junior's grandmother, one of the caregivers. Thanks to this program, she is now selling floor polish and eggs—a small business that is making a big difference. For two other families, we have helped them start gardens, which not only provide food but also the opportunity to sell surplus produce to their neighbors for income. The ability to feed themselves and sell their surplus is restoring their livelihoods and dignity.
Moringa Project: Lastly, similar to the Marula project, our Moringa initiative seeks to create valuable products – from oils to soaps and teas – derived from this plant and sourced from local communities, empowering them through sustainable agriculture and production. Currently, this project awaits a machine that will ease the manual effort of pressing the cracked seeds, a crucial step in unlocking its full potential.

Our vision for the future of Lubombo extends beyond immediate relief. We believe that the most effective solutions are community-driven. By empowering individuals to use their knowledge and resources, we unlock their potential to build a sustainable economic future for themselves, free from the burden of poverty. When families, particularly women, who are known to reinvest their earnings, gain the ability to afford better healthcare, food, and education, their communities thrive. This transformation is made possible by your generosity, which fuels our work. We invite you to donate towards this project which directly impacts the lives of many families and builds resilient, thriving communities.

Marula kernals fresh from the marula nut

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Dec 28, 2024
Empowering families through economic opportunities

By Temnotfo Mvubu | Public Relations Manager

Cracking Marula nuts

Empowering families through economic opportunities in 2024

Over the years, we have been combating poverty through creating income-generating opportunities for families in rural, underserved communities in Eastern Lubombo. Recognizing that poverty erodes hope, our programs focus on developing local resources and skills that can enable families to access essential resources like food, healthcare and education.

We work with communities facing extreme poverty due to limited economic activity, restricted market access, and a lack of resources for both subsistence farming and sustainable business. We identify and develop marketable local resources and skills, such as sewing, marula nuts, and moringa, which are then transformed into a variety of products. We also provide skills training to connect families to economic empowerment. To date, our programs have empowered over 150 families to thrive.

This year, we significantly refined our marula pressing and bottling process. The marula tree is abundant in our region, and the period after the seeds have dried provides our window for collection and pressing. By purchasing these nuts directly from community members, we provide them with a meaningful source of income. This refined process has allowed us to successfully place our bottled marula oil in various stores and establishments across Eswatini.

We also began processing moringa seeds this year, with the goal of expanding into a diverse product line, including oils and teas. This initiative relied on local residents for the supply of dried leaves and nuts, and benefited from the support of volunteers who helped with processing.

While our Dvumisa Creative store will unfortunately close next year due to high rental costs and challenging sales, we've secured continued retail placement for our products, including marula oil and sewing items, at Swift stores in Ngwenya Glass and Swazi Candles, as well as our very own Livivane Guesthouse and other establishments.

We’re grateful for our donors and are committed to continuing our work, but we need your support to empower more families and build sustainable futures. Every contribution brings us closer to this goal, as creating sustainable livelihoods directly translates to improved healthcare and nutrition, increased access to education for children, and improved living standards

Take the first step in helping us to make a difference. https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/jobs-for-several-hundred-impoverished-in-swaziland/

Bottled Marula Oil

Cleaning the nuts

The shop at Mantenga

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Aug 30, 2024
Creating Economic Opportunities in Rural Lubombo

By Temnotfo Mvubu | Public Relations Manager

Sewing training at Maphiveni

Countless families in rural Lubombo continue to grapple with economic hardship. Our project aims to provide a lifeline by creating pathways out of poverty. Over the past few months, we've been actively engaging with local communities to expand our reach and offer more families opportunities to earn a sustainable income.

Key Achievements:

Marula Oil Success: Our marula oil production has flourished, with nuts sourced from local communities being transformed into high-quality oil. We're proud to see our product on the shelves of local and nearby establishments.
Moringa Growth: Our moringa initiative at the P3 Vuvulane plot is making steady progress, demonstrating the potential for sustainable growth given the right resources.
Sewing Success: We continue to expand our product range and are actively seeking new sales channels. Each handmade item not only provides income for the talented women who are part of our sewing group but also showcases the beauty and craftsmanship of the local community.

Challenges and Opportunities:

While we've made significant strides, challenges remain. Securing larger markets for our marula oil is crucial for long-term sustainability. To increase moringa production, we need to expand our cultivation area and source higher-quality seedlings. Additionally, attracting more customers for our handmade products is essential to meet growing demand.

Wandile, our community liaison, has been instrumental in driving our marula and moringa initiatives. He tirelessly works to identify potential beneficiaries, collect and process nuts for oil, and ensures the project's long-term sustainability. Our marula oil production empowers elderly community members who collect, dry, and crack nuts, earning a fair wage based on their contribution. We would love to see more families, especially youth who face unemployment, join this empowering venture.

Your support truly matters. The donations we receive are vital in supporting these initiatives and providing families with the skills and resources they need to succeed. By contributing towards this project, you're directly empowering families and breaking the cycle of poverty in rural Lubombo.

Thank you for your continued support.

Purchasing marula nuts in the community

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