The Story of Bhandeni Community
The community of Bhandeni was first identified by Hands at Work as one of the most vulnerable in 2013. Located only seven km from the border town of Lomahasha, the steep mountainous roads make access to this community a challenge. There is no school or clinic in Bhandeni meaning people must travel to Lomahasha for access to basic services or temporary work in the sugar cane fields. For children, the walk from Bhandeni to school starts at 5am and is over two hours long.
5o Children currently supported
11 Care Workers
Basic Services Started in 2015
15 km from the Eswatini Local Office
In this region of Eswatini, sexual abuse, trafficking and cultural rituals put the most vulnerable children in immense danger. The walk to school alone means that children are in danger of being taken and exploited. In particular, young girls are at risk, with many being forced into marriage as young as age 12. Pregnancy in these young married girls is extremely common, as is polygamy.
Hands at Work have identified local volunteers who have a heart to care for children - the poorest of the poor - in their own community. Through late 2014 and early 2015, these volunteers became Care Workers and began visiting the homes of grandmothers and children to assess the levels of vulnerability and how they can support them. In August 2015, these Care Workers began providing 50 children with a hot, nutritious meal daily as well as supporting them with their education and access to basic health care.
Since July 2016, the Bhandeni Community Based Organisation (CBO) has been providing children with breakfast before their two hour walk to school, and serving a hot, nutritious meal six days every week. At the Care Point there are two water tanks used for cooking and drinking that are filled one to two times per month, ensuring that there is clean water available.
The Bhandeni Care Point is located on a piece of land that was donated by the Chief. There is a fence located around the property, and there are plans being made to build more facilities that will be able to better support and accommodate the children.
Meet Tema
Tema* is a five-year-old girl living in the Bhandeni community with her parents, grandparents and three siblings. Though her parents long to provide for their children, this is challenging as the only work they can find is seasonal. With the inconsistency of work, Tema’s parents struggle to provide even the most basic necessities for their children. Although Tema was supposed to be in preschool, she didn’t go because her parents were unable to afford the cost. By the grace of God, the family are not alone in their challenges. Care Workers from the Bhandeni CBO have come around Tema and her family, providing constant love, support and care, practically and emotionally. No longer do the children worry about going hungry. Next year, when it is time to start grade 1, Tema will be supported with the necessary school fees. Even Tema’s mother has been impacted by the Bhandeni CBO and has become a Care Worker herself.
The local Hands at Work team in Eswatini currently supports four Community Based Organisations, which exist to care for the most vulnerable in their communities. The office provides training, networking, and encouragement to those Community Based Organisations like Bhandeni. It also gives administrative support, including helping with funding proposals, monitoring and evaluation, bookkeeping and reporting to donors.
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