Under 15 boys Basketball tournament pre-Covid 19.

Our Sports Development Project in Eswatini aims to improve the well-being of disadvantaged children and youth within the semi-rural Swazi communities, through sports, play and education. The aim is to engage these children in activities that stimulate and focus them and keep them fit and healthy, while at the same time building their confidence through physical activity.

All our social projects are guided by the SDGs and this include the sports development program.

The contributions of our sports development program to the SDGs is outlined in this overview below:

Goal 1. End poverty

With the unemployment rate at over 40% in the Kingdom of Eswatini jobs are hard to come by especially for the youth. Our sports development program acts as a platform to create some employment opportunities and lift some Emaswati out of poverty leading to larger economic participation in the country, this is both through direct employment on the project and through empowering kids with the social and life skills necessary for a self-reliant and sustainable livelihood. Lastly, it helps immensely in raising awareness and facilitating the mobilization of needed resources to alleviate poverty through partnerships with local and international bodies.

Goal 3. Good Health and Wellbeing

The Kingdom of Eswatini has the world’s highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates, with approximately 31% of the population being infected. In 2010 it was estimated that there were close to 200,000 orphaned children in the Kingdom due to HIV/AIDS. In most households, children go through some hardships which disturb their mental health and engaging them in sports helps them ward off depression. Our sports development program helps in reducing the risk of contracting diseases by strengthening cardiovascular and physical health and can contribute to tackling and preventing emotional and psychological stress. We run weekly sports days for pre-school aged vulnerable children at community Neighborhood Care Points (NCPs) in Eswatini. With activities including playing ball games, relay running races, sack races, dance games, Hoola hoop games and more, these activities have a positive impact on the children and healthy adolescent development and well-being.

Neighbourhood Care Points (NCPs) weekly sports days pre-Covid 19.

Our weekly football league for Under 13 and Under 15 boys has been a viable platform for health and emotional wellbeing,  particularly to disseminate information on sexual and reproductive health, alcohol and substance abuse, as well as communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

Goal 4. Quality education

Our weekly sports days at the community Neighborhood Care Points have been very helpful in improving learning outcomes by fostering academic performance and achievement, leadership abilities, educational opportunities and life skills to be used beyond school including the workplace. By taking part in sports and physical activities alongside school, students are exposed to the sport’s key values, including teamwork, fair play, respect for the rules and others, cooperation, discipline and tolerance. The children and young people at our neighbourhood care points benefit tremendously from the sports project because the skills we equipped them with are essential for future participation in group activities and professional life and can stimulate social cohesion within communities and societies. We also organize afternoon homework clubs to assist struggling young teenagers with their homework and grades to improve education for those that need it.

Goal 5. Gender equality

We host a weekly football league for Under 13 and 15 aged boys, a football knockout tournaments for Under 15 girls and a Basketball tournament for girls and boys. These have been a powerful platform for advocacy and raising awareness for gender equality.

Under 15 Girls Basketball tournament pre-Covid 19.

Goal 10. Reduced inequalities

We invest in the education of vulnerable children and support women and girls to participate in sports at the junior level and we develop policies to reduce inequality at various levels. Our volunteer programs are aimed at cultural immersion to improve understanding and tolerance and create opportunities for those stuck in a poverty trap.

Goal 17. Partnership for the goals

Through our sports project, we have been able to build and strengthen the relationship with our local (Hhohho Regional Football Association, schools, communities, the government of Eswatini) and international partners (BOOST, Volunteers) who are continuously helping us achieve the goals mentioned above.

NCP children with a sports volunteer pre-Covid 19.

The 17 SDGs were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. In the next few months, we will be sharing how our volunteering programs and the work we are doing, helps to support each of these 17 goals.

With the school closure, children have been left with no choice but to stay home and only visit the NCPS daily to get meals not only for themselves but also for other family members. Without a word being said, their eyes speak nothing but appreciation for the meal, despite that the menu hardly changes as this is the only meal received per day for most of them.

Our NCP children receiving a well-balanced meal.

The organization has also not been spared from the effects of COVID-19, as more than 50% of the staff members had to be laid off due to lack of funding to sustain their employment. At least the much- needed hunger relief project has grown dramatically and is getting food to those who need it most. Although the sports program continues, with the tragic loss of Menzi Masina it has been a challenge to pick up where he left off.

The late sports development coordinator Menzi with NCP children

Activities have also been adjusted to meet the covid-19 requirements. While doing ad-hoc visits in the various communities, one cannot help but realize how hard these vulnerable communities have been hit.

All Out Africa staff making food deliveries to the affected families

Women are seen selling wares with no one to buy since most people lost jobs and that no tourists are visiting the country. This activity also puts these women at risk of contracting Coronavirus and as such, the NCP is informed daily by a community member that has unfortunately been lost to COVID-19 and All Out Africa is constantly engaged on how the children who are left with no parents can be assisted. The media has been left with nothing much to report on except for the increased cases of gender-based violence, child labour, teenage pregnancy, and malnutrition. This has come to expose the role played by schools and teachers in society, it helps society make informed decisions.

NCP Teacher handing over pencils.

Investing in education is the best response to the uncertainty that will grip our world for many months or perhaps years to come. We are hopeful of schools opening up again soon and our NCPs becoming fully operational again. We greatly look forward to when volunteers can once again travel to assist in these projects.

To apply for this project, or talk about how you can get involved, please email bookings@alloutafrica.com

-Tristan Diedrich, Cape Town Volunteer Coordinator

“I would definitely sign up with Hout Bay APD (people with disabilities). Cape Town has everything…..from tourist destinations such as Table Mountain and Robben Island to safaris. I’ve been working with Hout Bay APD for 2 years now and the clients that go there are such loving, warm-hearted, positive people despite their disabilities. You can learn so much from them by just talking to and interacting with them.”

-Adriaan Begemann, Kruger Operational Manager

“Kruger overnight safaris. Because it is simply the best place in the world, with the best guides from All Out Africa (Adriaan & Ruben). I love the Kruger National Park as I used to go to the Kruger with my grandparents and parents since I was a small kid. Reminds me of some great holidays”

-Menzi Masina, Sports Coordinator

“I would sign up for the Sports Development project, because I love what I do!”

– Michael Mkhonta, Building Project Coordinator

“Building of course! You can actually see how you are contributing to the communities for years to come!”

-Tiphiwe Vilakati, Bookings & Finance Manager

“I would sign up for Kruger to Coast! I would choose this one because it’s a combination of volunteering and tours. It’s my biggest dream to go to Kruger to see the Big 5 live!”

-Eunice Nkambule, NCP coordinator

“If I were a volunteer I would do the Marine Research & Whale Shark Conservation project. I grew up swimming and I would love to go scuba diving! It would be so cool to see the depth of the ocean”

-Ginger Green, Marketing coordinator

“I would sign up for the Kruger to Cape project. I have travelled several places in my lifetime, but if I had known there was an all-inclusive trip that would take me to 3 countries in 8 weeks and included awesome excursions throughout the trip, I would’ve leapt at the opportunity! Even now, and even though I have been to all of the places Kruger to Cape take you; I would be excited to join the tour. Bungee jumping, quad biking, ocean safaris, the garden route, a camping safari and volunteer (among other perks!)… It’s the perfect vacation for anyone who doesn’t like to sit still when they travel!”

-Simise Masilela, Marketing Assistant and Team Leader.

“I would definitely sign up for Kruger to Coast, if anything is on your bucket list, it should be a trip to the Kruger National park, the park has the largest variety of wildlife compared to any other park in Africa. What I also love about this program is that you get to do voluntary work in the beautiful country Kingdom of Eswatini and wrap it off with a trip to the coast in Mozambique Tofo.”

-Tjengisa Dlamini, Social Project Manager

Since joining All Out Africa over 4 years ago, I would honestly say that with proper funding I would join the Build A Future program because I have seen two NCPs’ being built and this contributes to the fundamental of early childhood education. It would also compliment All Out Africa’s childcare program and reach the less privilege children. Our main scope as All Out Africa, is to see our community outreach programs extending to other communities and obviously this kind of growth needs facilities to be built, so “Build A Future” program would be ideal to meet this goal.

-Mduduzi Ngwenya, Assistant Savannah Conservation Coordinator

As someone who has worked for All Out Africa since 2004, I would sign up for Savannah Conservation Research because the program gives you plenty of opportunities to work with wild animals and explore the bush at your own pace without a guard. You also have a better understanding how the ecosystem works.

Written by The All Out Africa Team

When I started hearing or learning about the effects of pollution and climate change back in my days in high school. I honestly didn’t understand why leaders from various countries, can actually have a conference or summit on the environment. I only realized years later when I was in varsity that those submissions, suggestions and recommendations made by those great leaders were actually true, but needed to be implemented by the human population.

Almost three decades later our very own Prime Minister of Eswatini declared that Cabinet Ministers, together with community members of the Eswatini society have a monthly “Clean Eswatini” campaign.  This declaration was made in June of this year. So the idea or mandate was that “Clean Eswatini” should happen every last Saturday of each month. This past weekend, All Out Africa volunteers and staff members joined the community of eBuka under the Lobamba Constituency in cleaning the streets.

When we arrived just after 8 am, it seemed like the community members started early, judging on the amount refuse bags filled with waste plastic and paper. What made it more mind blowing was that all refuse bags where neatly placed on top of each other? Most of the collected waste had a central drop off point/facility that we call in Eswatini a “Gogo Centre”. Gogo Centers are where most community meetings are held and are always located at the central part of a particular community. So refuse bags where place just outside this facility’s gate. After the waste collection, community leaders and members gathered and community leaders thanked all participants involved. One of our volunteers spoke about “how she enjoyed this morning’s clean-up campaign, and how community was welcoming throughout the morning”

Our next “Clean Eswatini” campaign will be on the 30^th November 2019 and we are hoping for another successful one.  If you would like to join us in the next clean up, please contact info@alloutafrica.com

Written by Tjengisa Dlamini, All Out Africa Social Project Coordinator