By Ncaba Ntshakala
The Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society (BERCS) is reaching out to communities in dire need of assistance due to the persistent drought gripping the country.
As a result, a new project called the Disaster Relief Emergency Project was launched last year and is targeting six constituencies in the Shiselweni and Lubombo regions.
These constituencies are Sigwe, Lubulini, Nkilongo, Hosea, Somntongo, and Matsanjeni.
The organisation recently convened a meeting with Tindvuna Tetinkhundla and Bucopho from the six constituencies to provide insights on the project.
According to Nontobeko Mbuyane, Public Relations Expert at BERCS, the project wants to support 30,000 people struggling with food insecurity, water scarcity, and disrupted livelihoods.
The initiative will provide a lifeline to these vulnerable communities through a four-pronged approach which includes cash assistance where residents will receive cash to purchase food and address other urgent needs. Also, the project has livelihood support.
As such, the Red Cross will distribute farming inputs, and livestock vaccines, and even provide some households with chickens to help them rebuild their livelihoods.
Again, the organisation on the project will provide healthcare where all community members will have access to health education and essential medical services. Also, the Red Cross project will provide access to water, sanitation & hygiene (WASH).
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As such, the project will rehabilitate boreholes and other water sources to ensure access to clean drinking water.
Mbuyane emphasised the urgency of the project, stating, “Due to the critical needs in some constituencies, we had to initiate the project in December 2023.”
The initiative is funded by the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) with a grant exceeding 12 million emalangeni.
The persistent dry spells have exacerbated Eswatini’s existing food insecurity challenges. Many households are reliant on social safety nets and struggle to access basic necessities like food and clean water.
Recent storms, high temperatures, and erratic rainfall patterns have further compounded the impact of the drought.
“This Disaster Relief Emergency Project allocation aims to provide sustainable solutions for the most vulnerable people,” explained Mbuyane.
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We will focus on clean water access, crop production, and multipurpose cash assistance to support the communities during this emergency phase.
Additionally, these interventions will contribute to building resilience ahead of the next dry period expected in September 2024, when the project concludes.”
The Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society has asserted that it is dedicated to supporting vulnerable communities.
