By Ncaba Ntshakala
The Kingdom is continuing its efforts to combat child hunger and malnutrition.
Recently, the Municipal Council of Manzini partnered with World Vision Eswatini (WVE) to enhance food security for the city’s care points.
This partnership comes on the heels of World Vision Eswatini’s recent launch of the ENOUGH Campaign, which aims to ensure that every child in Eswatini has access to nourishing food to thrive.
According to a statement shared by World Vision Eswatini, the campaign’s implementation activities are already in full swing, showcasing a strong commitment from various partners.
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One of the key initiatives under this collaboration was a cooking demonstration held at Ngwane Park Care Point, which is supported by the municipality and several stakeholders.
The event was organized through the World Vegetable Center’s Taiwan Africa Vegetable Initiative – Eswatini (TAVI), an initiative implemented by World Vision Eswatini’s Livelihoods Technical Programme.
The cooking demo was said to teach local caregivers how to prepare traditional African vegetables using proper cooking techniques that preserve essential nutrients.
“The goal is to educate caregivers on how to cook traditional African vegetables (TAVs) in a tasty way, while applying the correct cooking techniques to preserve all the nutrients required by the body,” explained Bonginkosi Mabuza, World Vision Eswatini’s Livelihoods Coordinator, during the event.
The partnership between the Manzini City Council and World Vision Eswatini initially began with efforts to support vulnerable households on the city’s outskirts.
As part of the TAVI Project, World Vision distributed indigenous vegetable seeds to these households to promote the cultivation of climate-resilient crops.
“This approach not only ensures that families have enough food to meet their nutritional needs but also enables them to generate income by selling any surplus produce,” reads part of the World Vision statement.
Mathokoza Thwala, the Municipal Council’s Spokesperson, emphasized the importance of the cooking demonstration in empowering community caregivers.
“We are very happy about the partnership with World Vision, and today’s event is about ensuring that the community caregivers supporting our care points are taught how to prepare these indigenous vegetables.
This is a skill they will take back to their homes and care points,” Thwala said.
The initiative is further strengthened through support from the Ministry of Agriculture Eswatini, particularly its Extension Services and Nutrition departments.
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The involvement of the Ministry’s Nutrition Department, commonly referred to as boLomakhaya, was said to align seamlessly with the objectives of World Vision’s ENOUGH Campaign.
“By integrating the expertise of agricultural extension officers and nutrition specialists, the partnership is ensuring that both the cultivation and preparation of food meet high nutritional standards,” further reads the statement.
According to the statement from World Vision Eswatini, the ENOUGH Campaign is a call to action aimed at ending child hunger and malnutrition across the country.
The organization expressed optimism that more partners will join the campaign to ensure that children in Eswatini have access to sufficient, nutritious food.
The recent cooking demonstration is just one of many activities planned under the campaign to build a foundation for sustainable food security, especially for the most vulnerable members of the community.
