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| The Walkers (Bahambi) in Hlangano |
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| Steeper than it looks! |
In April, Mandla Mdluli, Development Officer, wrote:
This week in Swaziland, a dozen young people will undertake a 125-mile sponsored walk to raise awareness and funds to support the work of Anglican church schools.
Entitled ‘A Walk with Christ’, the young people, aged 20 to 33 from parishes throughout Swaziland, will walk from Mpandesane in the south to Manzini in the north. They leave on Tuesday and aim to complete the journey in one week.
The philosophy behind the expedition is that it is not enough for the church to ‘talk the talk’, we should also ‘walk the walk’!
The participants want to raise awareness about the challenges facing schools and school children in Swaziland, in particular the shortage of food supplies for school meals and the prohibitive costs of secondary school fees and educational materials.
It is hoped that churches, business and other organisations in Swaziland will sponsor the walk to help raise much-needed funds for Anglican schools.
The walkers will stay in Anglican churches en route, and provide local young people with support and training in life skills, career guidance and business enterprise.
Some of you may have followed the young people on Facebook: The walkers - Bahambi. Their journey was physically difficult, as they moved from low veld to high veld, and emotionally challenging. The walkers were mostly unemployed young people, with good and generous hearts. They seek ways to help others despite having almost no resources of their own. They worked in the homesteads of the poor and elderly; they visited schools and taught life skills through drama and workshops; they enjoyed the fellowship they shared with each other and with those they met along the way.
Before they left they sought sponsorship from The United Society and other partners, as well as from local businesses and supporters. The funds they have raised are now being spent on school uniforms for the many schoolchildren, particularly in rural schools, whose families (if they have family) cannot afford to buy uniforms. Pencil cases, generously donated in Ireland, are also being given out as the team visit schools to bring uniforms.
Thank you for your continued interest in and support for the work of The United Society, as we journey alongside the Diocese of Swaziland. Have a look at these photographs - with your help and encouragement the young people of Swaziland can move mountains.
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| Fetching water from the Black Mpuluzi River |
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| Life skills at Salem High School |
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| Ncobile cooking a meal |
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| Irish pencil cases at Mpandesane Primary School |
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| Gugu hard at work |
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| Gogo Kunene |
