Swazi Poverty Through the Eyes of a Child

The biggest industrial area in Swaziland is in an area called Matsapha that is located 8 Km north-west of the second city of Manzini. About three days ago I decided to visit this area, especially the informal settlement to find out how the people of my country are coping with life in general. I met this young girl who was carrying a baby on her back and introduced myself to her. She responded with a smile on her face, an indication she had probably heard of my name in the past.

I then enquired what she was doing for a living and she told me she had been looking for a job in the textile industry for the past three years without any success. She told me she had spent only four years at primary school and due to lack of money she had to stay at home when her father passed away.

Her mum never went to school. Her mum passed away when she had just turned sixteen. She then recalled accompanying her mum to a homestead in Matsapha that belonged to her mum’s relatives. At the time she came to meet this family, she did not pay much attention to details other than knowing this family was related to her mum one way or the other.

A month after her mum’s burial she got her first baby who had to be brought up by her boy friend’s mum. She then made her journey to Matsapha with her two other sisters to seek shelter in her mum’s relatives.

She volunteered to take me to her place of residence. When I got there my heart was devastated because the three of them were sharing this room of stick and mud with old corrugated iron, that had no window, and an old make shift door that hardly had hinges. It was clear to me that on rainy days the situation was unbearable. There were two small aluminium pots and an old paraffin stove next to the door. I then enquired if they were paying any rent for the room and she said no. A few dresses were hanging on an improvised 1m stick, suspended by some strings onto the rafters.

What was so devastating to me was to realise that at the time I got into the room I had no money in my pocket to put a smile on this young girl’s face. Even if I had some money, it would not be enough to make a difference in their lives. This picture will never be eroded in my mind up until I do something with these girls plight. The sad thing about this is that these girls have gotten used to living without a proper meal for a day or three. They live on odd jobs, going from house to house looking for any linen to wash in return for few coins to buy maize-meal.

I have just had a conversation with my wife concerning these three girls. We have to make a difference in their lives. Casting a blind eye to their plight will just show how evil we are.

Man must never reach a point where he becomes insensitive to the plight of those that are vulnerable.

Unfortunately there are plenty of other Swazis in such similar situations. It is very disheartening that we have a leadership that does not value education of the young children of this country. No nation can fight poverty without investing in the education of its citizens (young and old).

It is my belief that changing the current political set-up will give rise to changed attitudes that will encourage a new breed of leaders that will put the priorities of the majority of the people of Swaziland first. It is sickening to learn that His majesty’s government is not prepared to implement free primary education this year, which it promised to implement 3 years ago, as it had enshrined it in the country’s constitution. The resources are directed to where the leadership thinks are best utilized in projects that serve the interests of the minority.

Mfomfo 11 June 09

Tags: African Poverty, Child Poverty, Human Rights, King Mswati III, Politics, Swaziland