Tears, songs and moments of stunned silence marked an emotional handover ceremony as Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla officially handed over six houses to vulnerable families across Mpolonjeni, Nkilongo and Lubulini constituencies.
For the beneficiaries, the occasion represented more than the handing over of buildings. It marked the end of years of living in unsafe, overcrowded and deteriorating structures and the beginning of a new chapter defined by dignity, safety and hope.
The six families had faced different forms of hardship, including child-headed households forced to share cramped rooms, elderly residents living in collapsing stick-and-mud structures and families sheltering under leaking roofs and makeshift tents. 
As each house was opened, beneficiaries struggled to contain their emotions, with some shedding tears while others expressed their gratitude through songs.
For some, the reality of having a safe and decent home appeared almost too overwhelming to put into words.
The first house was handed over to Ngeti Bhembe and her siblings at the Shoba community in Mpolonjeni.
The family is a child-headed household that had been living in extremely cramped conditions, with boys and girls forced to share a single room.
The new home provides the siblings with a safer and more dignified environment, while also giving them greater privacy and protection.
Dladla assured the family that the house would also be fenced to improve the safety of the children.
The intervention was particularly significant given the vulnerability of child-headed households, which often face challenges beyond shelter, including limited resources, household responsibilities and the difficulty of maintaining a stable family environment without adult guardians.
The DPM said the government would continue looking at ways of supporting such households beyond providing physical shelter.
At Mbutfu in Lubulini Inkhundla, 31-year-old Banele Mamba received a two-roomed house for her family of five children.
Mamba and her children had been living in a leaking one-room structure that had been covered with tents in an effort to shield the family from the elements.
The condition of the family’s previous shelter left them exposed to rain and other dangers, making the construction of a proper home an urgent intervention.
The case was brought to the attention of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF), which subsequently provided manpower for the construction after the government supplied the required building materials.
Another beneficiary assisted through the UEDF was Lomathemba of the Ngcamphalala community in Nkilongo Inkhundla.
Lomathemba was allocated new land on which to build her home, providing her with a fresh start and a secure place to build her future.
At Gamula in Nkilongo Inkhundla, the handover took on an especially emotional dimension when 85-year-old Gogo Dzeliwe Gumedze received the keys to her new home.
Gumedze had been living in a stick-and-mud dwelling that had partly collapsed, leaving her in a precarious situation.
The condition of the house had become so concerning that she sometimes chose to sleep under a tree rather than risk remaining inside.
Her old dwelling was also reportedly infested with snakes, further compounding the danger and fear she experienced.
The elderly beneficiary expressed relief at finally having a home where she could sleep safely indoors.
For Gumedze, the new house represents security at a stage of life when protection from harsh weather, structural dangers and other household risks is particularly important.
Two additional houses were handed over in Lunkuntfu, Nkilongo Inkhundla.
One went to 81-year-old Gogo Regina Mzileni, while the other was allocated to Njabulo Mamba and his siblings.
Mamba’s household is another child-headed family that has had to confront extraordinary responsibilities at a young age.
The siblings were left to care for a newborn baby following the death of their parents, placing the household in an extremely vulnerable position.
Speaking during the handover, Dladla emphasised that the houses were provided as part of efforts to support vulnerable members of society and ensure that families living in unsafe conditions are not left behind.
She revealed that five of the six houses were funded by the Republic of China (Taiwan), while Gogo Dzeliwe Gumedze’s house was funded by MTN Eswatini and the government through the National Disaster Risk Management Authority — Umvalo Wesive (NDRMA).
Dladla further stressed that the beneficiaries should not fear losing the houses through eviction.
She said no one had the right to evict the beneficiaries from the homes, noting that the houses had been opened on behalf of His Majesty King Mswati III.
Dladla announced that all child-headed households would receive life skills training aimed at helping them manage their families and sustain their households.
The families did not leave the ceremony with houses alone.
They also received household items donated by Montigny Company, including beds, wardrobes and benches, helping to make the newly constructed homes more functional and habitable.
The DPM also provided the families with food parcels as part of the support extended to them during the handover.
