Loes Van Hest teaching Mvutjini NCP children about sustainability

I began by measuring BMIs at the NCPs in Ekuzukekeni and Ezulwini, where I discovered a significant difference between the two. After measuring the BMIs, I also focused on a school in a rural area, Lamgambhi. Despite their different environments, Ezulwini and Lamgambhi had one thing in common: around 40% of the children in both schools were underweight. I wanted to find out why, as the conditions at these two NCPs are very different.

Loes measuring BMIs at Lamgabhi NCP

I gathered information from teachers, staff, and other people I met during my internship in the neighbourhood. After identifying the reasons for the underweight issues, I created a suggestion report. In this report, I provided advice and suggestions that All Out Africa can implement in the future.

I learned a lot from my internship. I developed skills in creating effective schedules, setting priorities, and establishing boundaries. I was given the freedom to determine what I needed to achieve my goals while receiving the necessary guidance and support.

Ekuzukekeni NCP children having their lunch

I experienced the culture in various ways, observing the differences between city life, peri-urban areas, and rural areas, and how these environments affect the residents. I learned that each environment has unique challenges, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. However, one thing remains important across all areas: raising awareness about issues like healthy living, especially understanding what is and isn’t healthy and the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle. There’s no better place to start than at an early age, at the NCP.

Written by Loes Van Hest – Early Childhood Health and Nutrition intern 

A bit about me:

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Marketing Management from the University of Gloucestershire (UK), I have spent the last decade working in advertising agencies across the UK and Australia. I am accomplished and have certificates in product management and advanced strategy. My speciality is understanding the psychology behind purchase journeys, from people discovering your product to what would progress them to make a sale.

Inspired by the Youth Entrepreneurship of Eswatini

The entrepreneurial spirit of Eswatini has been truly inspiring. During my time here, I have had one-on-one coaching sessions with youth producers, met with young mothers from the LaMgabhi community who have been building businesses to support their new families and have given a product management lecture at the Institute of Development Management for Junior Achievement Eswatini and UNFPA.

Clare meeting with young mothers from LaMgabhi who have been building businesses to support their families.

Building businesses takes hard work, dedication, and resilience, and in my short time here, it has been incredible to see the progress that the young entrepreneurs have been making. They are the future of Eswatini.

Clare Delivering a Lecture on Product Management.

Khangisa Shop and Market

At the front of Likusasa Letfu, we have an outlet selling handmade, homemade, and home-grown youth produce. Our items range from jams to biltong, cushions and homeware, art, jewelry, and cleaning products. Each item represents the creativity and potential of our youth and serves as a seed for creating more sustainable futures.

Khangisa Shop: A Display Space for Local Producers’ Products

On the last Saturday of each month, we host a market at Mahhala for youth producers to showcase their wares free of charge. Participants are responsible for bringing their own tables and display materials.

Written by Clare Gill – Business Development and Product Design intern 

If you are interested in making an impact and interning with us, email bookings@alloutafrica.com.

Martin conducting oral hygiene education at Ezulwini NCP.

1. Partnerships and Development: One of my primary responsibilities was to identify and establish partnerships with relevant stakeholders, both local and international, to support the foundation’s mission. I conducted research to identify potential collaborators and communicated with them to explore mutually beneficial opportunities. These partnerships not only provided financial support, but also enabled the organization to expand its reach and impact within the community.
2. Operational Improvement: To help streamline the foundation’s operations, I conducted a thorough assessment of existing processes and identified areas for improvement. After consultation with the team, I proposed a new system for project management, which involved digitalizing certain aspects of data collection and reporting. This helped to enhance efficiency and transparency, facilitating better communication among team members and stakeholders.
3. Community Engagement – Oral Hygiene Education: As part of the foundation’s community outreach efforts, I was involved in an initiative to educate school children about the importance of oral hygiene. Alongside a team of volunteers, I designed interactive and engaging sessions that taught the children proper brushing techniques and oral care habits. Witnessing the children’s enthusiasm and eagerness to adopt healthier habits was incredibly rewarding. This program not only contributed to the children’s well-being but also strengthened the foundation’s ties with the local community.
4. National Kruger Park Visit: During my internship, I had the privilege of visiting the National Kruger Park. This experience was not only a refreshing break, but also an opportunity to witness the significance of wildlife conservation efforts. The park’s vast biodiversity and stunning landscapes left a profound impact on me, highlighting the importance of environmental preservation and sustainable tourism.

The magic of Kruger National Park’s nocturnal wildlife on an adventurous night game drive.

My internship at All Out Africa Foundation was a transformative experience, allowing me to contribute to meaningful projects that positively impacted the community. From fostering partnerships for implementing operational improvements and engaging in educational initiatives, I developed valuable skills and gained insights into the world of nonprofit organizations. Additionally, the visit to the National Kruger Park served as a reminder of the importance of conservation and the need for responsible tourism. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the foundation’s mission and look forward to applying the knowledge and experiences gained from this internship in my future endeavours.

Join the All Out Africa Foundation and make a difference like Martin. Click here to learn more. Together, we can create a brighter future. Special thanks to Martin Le Coulm for sharing his story!

In my short time so far in Eswatini, I have been first-hand able to experience some of the bottom-up initiatives aimed at elevating future economic enterprises in the country, with a considerable emphasis on youth empowerment. I have been fortunate enough to have been able to contribute to entrepreneurship classes aimed at building the skills that many of the youth currently regrettably lack, but yet need in order to succeed in building their own profitable start-ups. In present-day Eswatini among the youth, there is an unemployment rate ranging from 40%-70% throughout the kingdom, something that has only been exacerbated by the covid pandemic. Through my research, as well as when chatting to students in the class I have come across a recurring theme where young adults have been forced to abandon their livelihood during the pandemic and now find it increasingly hard to regain their previous source of income.

Alexander presents his findings.

In response to this, classes such as the one I’ve been part of have sprung up across the country, aiming to help young adults provide for themselves rather than have to face the limited other opportunities around. During these classes, I have been able to hear some of the business ideas and plans that different individuals have put forward, and what has struck me the most is the range of ideas coming from such a small group. Plans ranged from selling electrical services to exporting poultry abroad as far as the UAE as well as developing a mobile system where patients are more easily able to track their daily symptoms; thus grossly helping medical professionals in diagnosing ailments quicker and supplying cures more efficiently. What has become clear in my short stint so far is that this is a deeply resourceful group of young adults who definitely want to ameliorate their future, and I have felt fortunate to learn from them and try to help them in any way can. Lessons, despite the vast amount of content covered, are light-hearted and I believe that they are taking in what is being said and doing their best to try to gain the skills that will help them a great deal in the future.

During my time here in Eswatini, working days have followed a familiar recurring schedule. Around 8:30 every morning I would start off with the research portion of my day, which would normally take me through towards lunch which I would prepare for myself. This would be followed by a short trip downtown towards the local NCP for a 13:30 start which would last through to 15:30, with me presenting my findings to the group as well as answering questions. After returning back to the lodge preparation would begin for research the following day as well as personal work and leisure.

Enterprise development coordinator Mfanukhona facilitating a class.

So far, my research has stemmed from factors affecting entrepreneurship development and the processes needed to create a successful and profitable micro-enterprise. I have taken a deeper look at the importance of an effective business plan, as well as what it should contain, marketing; the debate of online vs traditional methods, and the significance of primary and secondary research in performing a SWOT analysis. All of the above processes help in identifying your competitors and target market. When identifying the factors that affect entrepreneurship development I did my best to keep it relevant to Eswatini so that it would best engage my audience when presenting. This was most easily done when trying to find Business Development Services in the kingdom for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). An extract of my research from this section can be seen below.

‘When you start a business it is important to look for potential investors. They can be useful for a number of reasons. Firstly, they will provide seed capital to start the business. Secondly, they assist in business planning for a startup. Thirdly, they are profit oriented hence they will ensure that capital is invested in the correct way and can be consulted with. There are a number of investors in Eswatini who offer such services. The Small Enterprises Development Company (SEDCO) is a Government supported organisation established in 1970 with the mandate to create, develop and promote Small, Micro & Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) throughout the Kingdom of Eswatini. This makes it one of the largest and most reputable investors.  The Industrial Development Company Of Eswatini (IDCE) is another example of a well known lender that offers agricultural, corporate and SME loans.

 SME, Small Medium Enterprise, loans are targeted and suitable to every sector of the economy for purposes of funding of goods or services required by the business. An example of the terms for an SME loan from IDCE are:

Minimum: E10 000 (Swazi lilangeni)

Maximum: E1.5 million

Repayment Period: 3 – 5 years

Security: should be able cover 100% of the total debt

Promoter’s Contribution: a minimum of 20% of the total project total cost

What was at the heart of the lessons was an attempt to try to change the mindset of Swazis in order to allow them to think more like entrepreneurs. In order to do this, I tried to include a section in my work on initial ideas that needed to be considered when starting a business as well as considering your ‘why,’ as nine times out of ten a larger goal than simply to make money is what drove the world’s richest individuals when they first started their own businesses. An individual’s why could be to have a positive impact on the environment or to help elevate their local community. Pairing this with an idea that is profitable and that they are talented will more than likely lead to a successful initial business, assuming that external factors remain constant.

Written by Pama Alexander, Microfinance intern 

Breathtaking views of the Jozini Lake

The Royal Jozini’s vegetation is predominantly mixed acacia bushveld; fever-tree riverine forest, Marula forest, open savannah plains, craggy mountain escarpment and the seasonal flood plains on the shore of the lake which offers wonderful game viewing.

Interns on a game drive learning to identify various wildlife at Royal Jozini

The diverse topography from the top of the Lebombo mountains to the lake results in a wide variety of habitats and ecosystems that support an abundance of biodiversity, including 450 species of birds and larger wildlife, including elephant, buffalo, leopard, rhino, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, waterbuck, bushbuck, kudu, jackal, hyena, crocodile and hippo.

Herd of elephants at Royal Jozini

What activities will the intern be involved in?

Interns will experience hands-on field research relevant to the conservation of the savannah ecosystem of Eswatini within a larger trans-frontier conservation area. Participants in this project may assist with a range of activities depending on the time of year. The project is focused on ecological research and hands-on conservation, in the private Royal Jozini game reserve. Activities will include biodiversity surveys concentrating on rodents, ungulates, predators, birds and vegetation as part of a long-term savannah monitoring program. This will involve field walks and drives into the bush to set up camera traps or Sherman live traps and other harmless biodiversity surveying techniques and then revisiting these and recording information on the animals and plants observed.

Interns having a bonfire night

Hands-on conservation tasks may include fence patrols and maintenance, erosion control, alien invasive plant removal and community outreach.

Interns removing alien invasive plants at Royal Jozini

Other activities may include threatened species surveys and computer data entry and assisting with camp chores. Participants will learn wildlife field survey techniques, learn to identify various wildlife, gain conservation experience and will have the opportunity to observe and discuss a range of current issues facing conservation in Africa.

Accommodation and meals

Participants will be living on-site in a private camp on the reserve, accommodation will be in 2-man tents, fitted with mattresses and pillows. Three meals a day will also be provided, some on a self serve basis and others cooked for them.

2-man tent, fitted with mattresses and pillows at Royal Jozini

If this looks like an internship that you would like to be a part of, email us at bookings@alloutafrica.com with a little bit more about you along with your CV. We would love to meet you and get started!