The Diocese of Swaziland Luyengo Farm Project

Rt Revd Meshack Mabuza Bishop of Swaziland Bishop Meshack has been a consistent voice against the status quo in Swaziland. He has chaired the Swaziland Council of Churches, the Cordinating Association of NGOs in Swaziland, and now of Constituent Assembly, an umbrella organisation of churches, NGOs, trades unions etc. working for democracy in Swaziland.

Bishop Meshack Mabuza, on the refusal of police to pass on the pro-democracy petition of Constituent Assembly: “The police simply played into our hands. We were expecting this, and we are grateful that it has happened. The whole world will see the country in the light it is in that the rights of the people are not respected, while even the constitution is trampled upon with impunity. This clearly shows that there is no democracy in this country.” The sad thing is that the eyes of the world are not on Swaziland!

King Mswati III is known for his taste for luxury and his practice of polygamy (although at least two wives are appointed by the state), and has been criticized abroad for pursuing his personal interests at the expense of his country, one of the poorest in the world

Swaziland: Population 1 million World’s highest HIV infection rate (est 40%) 75% live on less than €1 per day Estimated 300,000 orphans and vulnerable children 15% of households headed by a child 50% of workforce unemployed Life expectancy 32 years

Rosemary & Andrew USPG Ireland Mission Partners

Diocese of Swaziland HIV/AIDS programmes Neighbourhood Care Points Home Based Care Egumeni Life Skills Training at all levels: clergy & laity; ordinands; Sunday School Teachers; Continuing Ministerial Education, The School Holiday School of Theology; Parish Council Training and more 25 Anglican Primary Schools

Neighbourhood Care Points

Home Based Care

Egumeni

Life Skills Programme

Culturally relevant training courses for clergy and laity

The HIV/AIDS programmes of the Diocese of Swaziland help whole communities. The diocese relies on overseas donations to fund these programmes, and as donations go down, as recently, programmes have to be cut. The diocese owns 200 acres of very good land, and wants to set up a farm to generate income. They plan to grow baby vegetables and raise pigs, and to apply the income to fund HIV/AIDS programmes for many years to come. USPG Ireland is committed to help the Diocese of Swaziland to achieve self-sufficiency; and as a first step, to get the Luyengo Farm Project up and running.

Part of the land at Luyengo

Luyengo Farm Business Plan available from USPGI