By Ncaba Ntshakala
His Majesty King Mswati III has praised World Vision for its instrumental role in transforming the lives of the Mpolonjeni community through the Mpolonjeni Water Project.
Speaking during the project’s official commissioning, the King recalled how he previously visited the area and found residents relying on unsafe water sources, often shared with livestock.
He commended World Vision for changing this reality, ensuring that every household in the area now has access to clean and safe water.
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The project, funded by World Vision to the tune of E24 million, has achieved full water coverage in Mpolonjeni through a safely managed system that delivers water directly to households.
The initiative, which was supported by World Vision U.S. Programs for 23 years, has benefited 3,230 households, covering a population of 25,000 people across Mpolonjeni Inkhundla and the communities of Matsetsa, Maphatsinduku, Langa, and Mncitsini under Lugongolweni Inkhundla.
The King acknowledged the impact of this initiative, highlighting how access to safe water significantly improves health, hygiene, and overall livelihoods.
World Vision worked in partnership with the government and Eswatini Water Services Corporation (EWSC), which provided technical oversight and plant machinery for the project’s installation.
EWSC is also responsible for the system’s maintenance and billing services, offering rural communities water at a reduced rate.
During the event, World Vision demonstrated its innovative use of mWater, a digital platform for data collection and monitoring, which helps track water points and assess their functionality.
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The King was briefed on how this system could be adopted by other stakeholders in the country to enhance water management.
With this milestone, the King emphasized his dedication to ensuring that communities across Eswatini have access to clean water, urging continued partnerships between the government, development organizations, and the private sector.
He commended World Vision for its dedication to improving lives and called for more innovative solutions to enhance water access nationwide.
