The Project

I am 16 years old and this summer I am going to be visiting the small village of KaPhunga in Swaziland, a country in Southern Africa. I have made contact with a young man there, Myxo Mdluli, who will be sharing his home with my family while we help out in the village. Swaziland has the highest concentration of HIV/AIDS in the world, with two-fifths of the adult population infected. The life expectancy there is 40 years, and in 2003, 17,000 deaths occurred due to AIDS. This constant devastation of the population has resulted in many households run entirely by children, and the number of orphans grows every day.

The goal of this project is to improve the educational facilities and programs within rural Swaziland. With the money that we acquire we will build a preschool for the children of the village, KaPhunga. In Swaziland there is only a 79% literacy rate, and overall education levels are low, mainly because only 44% of the children attend a secondary school. The country of Swaziland has a population of just under a million, more than half of which is under 18 years of age. This is important because if we can increase the level of education within this youth majority it will spark significant change in the future.

The benefits of early childhood development are undeniable. Studies show that attending preschool can have remarkable effects on a person’s life. In the short term, the child is building social skills, and getting the chance to begin learning at an early age. But the long term benefits are extraordinary. It has been proven that going to preschool improves a child’s health, cognitive development, and school achievement. Statistics show that children who attend preschool are more likely to continue their education. In addition to this, the school would give the children a place to be during the day, which would free up their parents and older siblings to work or to pursue their own educations.
Another reason to build a preschool in the village of KaPhunga is that it would provide stability within the lives of the children. In Swaziland there are 95,000 orphans, 63,000 as a direct result of AIDS. There are many households run entirely by orphans, and they are left with the responsibilities of working and acquiring food. The school we would like to build would guarantee these impoverished children with at least one meal a day, which is important because it is difficult for children to learn if they are not getting enough to eat. Children without families would also be provided with a sense of community.

The purchasing of supplies and the hiring of builders for the construction of the school would happen in Swaziland. Swaziland has a 40% unemployment rate, and 69% of the population lives below the determined poverty line. In 2005, statistics showed that 48% of the population lives on less than one dollar a day. By purchasing supplies and hiring builders in Swaziland, we are bringing more capital into the local economy of KaPhunga, and are also providing much needed jobs.

The man who I have made contact with, Myxo Mdluli, single-handedly founded a cultural tourism venture, and is continuing to improve his village’s situation. He has informed me that, while a preschool already exists, it is necessary to build a new classroom to accommodate all of the children in the village. The existing preschool opened in 2007 with support from international donors. They have since opened a bank account and elected a community committee to govern the school. For more information on the existing school and the benefits of building a new classroom, you can visit the website at http://www.matjanapreschool.org-a.googlepages.com/home.

This project will make a difference in the lives of the villagers of KaPhunga in the following ways

It will provide a place where the children can feel a sense of community.
It will provide underprivileged children with an affordable education.
It will provide the orphans with the stability of at least one solid meal a day.
It will bolster the local economy.

Project Costs

The total cost estimate for one year of operations and construction is R122,400 (about $15,603).

We would like to provide the school with $20,000, enough money to keep it going until it becomes self-sustainable. The village will be able to provide yearly funds for the operation of the school once this initial construction takes place, but the help that we are giving them is essential. The foundation that this preschool education will provide has the potential to drastically change the course of these children’s lives. Each child would be guaranteed at least one meal a day, a crucial step towards fighting disease and malnutrition. In addition, this project would positively impact the local economy by supplying the villagers with jobs and steady incomes. For all of these reasons, we would greatly appreciate your support for this project.

Please Help

If you want to support this project, please donate now.