Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla says vulnerable children across the country are fighting internal battles and their main request is prayer.
She was speaking at the End of Year National Prayer Service held at Mandvulo Hall, Lozitha. Dladla said this was her observation while executing His Majesty King Mswati III’s directive to build houses for vulnerable children.
“As I was sent by His Majesty to do the work of taking care of vulnerable children, I discovered that these children are fighting inside battles and they want prayer,” she said.
Dladla said her work has taken her to child-headed households and homes where elderly grandparents are raising grandchildren without stable income. She said while Government provides shelter and social assistance, many children use encounters with officials to ask for prayer instead of material needs.
She said the finding points to a need for intensified psychosocial and spiritual support for vulnerable children.
The DPM said many of the children live without parents, without stable homes and without affirmation. She said the houses built under His Majesty’s initiative are meant to restore dignity and signal that the children have not been forgotten, but the emotional wounds remain.
She called on the church, parents and communities to create safe spaces where children can speak about their challenges and receive spiritual guidance.
According to Dladla, prayer should not be an afterthought but a deliberate intervention to shield children from rejection, trauma, anxiety and fear.
She also linked her assignment to the significance of His Majesty’s 40 years on the Throne. Dladla said His Majesty’s long reign should be viewed spiritually, noting that in the Bible many kings ruled for short periods. “In the Bible kings ruled for a few years yet His Majesty has ruled for this long,” she said.
She said the longevity demonstrates divine purpose, similar to the life of Moses who lived to 120 years because God had a purpose for him from a young age.
She said Moses went through a period of testing and preparation. “Tested in the other 40 years of suffering. This was a period of testing and training and preparing him for the promised land,” Dladla said.
She said the King’s journey should be understood in the same way, as years of testing, training and preparation for leading the nation. Dladla said the years on the Throne have included different seasons and the continued stability is linked to that purpose.
The End of Year National Prayer Service is an annual event convened to give thanks for the outgoing year and to pray for the coming year. This year’s service was attended by senior government officials, members of the clergy, members of the security forces and members of the public.
Dladla said building houses for the vulnerable, which has become a core programme of her office under His Majesty’s directive, has exposed her to both pain and resilience among children. She cited cases where children as young as 15 are heading households and caring for younger siblings.
She said each house handover presents a story of loss and hope and reinforces the need for sustained support beyond construction.
The DPM said the Government will continue building houses while strengthening prayer and support interventions, as requested by the children themselves.
“The work continues. We will keep building houses, but we will also keep praying for these children, because that is what they have told us they need the most,” she said.
She thanked His Majesty for entrusting her office with the responsibility of caring for vulnerable children, saying it has enabled her to appreciate the challenges faced by children and the impact of targeted intervention.
She said the church has a critical role to play in complementing Government’s efforts through prayer and counselling. Other speakers at the service prayed for peace, unity, protection of children, family stability and leadership.
Dladla said as the year ends, families and communities should reflect on the needs of vulnerable children and commit to supporting them spiritually and materially.
She said Government’s programmes for vulnerable children will continue in the new year, guided by His Majesty’s directive. The DPM said the 40-year milestone on the Throne is a moment for thanksgiving and for recognising the purpose attached to leadership.
She said like Moses, whose long life was linked to a divine assignment, His Majesty’s reign has been sustained for a purpose that continues to benefit vulnerable groups, including children.
