Capital: Mbabane
Area: 17,363 km²
Population: 1.2 milion (July 2005 est.)
Ethnic groups: Swazi, Zulu, Tsonga , European minority
Official language(s): English and Siswati
Religion(s): Christian and indigenous beliefs
Currency: 1 lilangeni = 100 cents

SOS Children's Villages' activities in the country

The official go-ahead for the work of SOS Children's Villages in Swaziland came in December 1986 after the signing of a government agreement between SOS-Kinderdorf International and the Kingdom of Swaziland. On 17 August 1987 the local SOS Children's Village Association "SOS Children's Villages Swaziland" was registered and construction of the first SOS Children's Village in Mbabane, the capital city of Swaziland, began in the following autumn. In the years to come additional SOS Children's Village Facilities were established in Mbabane and in Nhlangano in the south of the country.

The most prominent supporter of the SOS Children's Village work in Swaziland is King Mswati III, who in 1998 took over the official patronage for all SOS Children's Village Facilities in his country.

In mid-2000 SOS Children's Villages Swaziland launched an Emergency Relief Programme to help the numerous families in the vicinity of Mbabane who had become homeless during the floods. With the participation of SOS youths and three trained construction workers, houses were rebuilt and the families were hence provided with a new home. In November 2001, SOS Children's Villages Swaziland reacted to the growing HIV/AIDS pandemic through a community-based family strengthening programme in the vicinity of Mbabane.

In April 2002, when persisting droughts and food shortages were threatening the country, an Emergency Relief Programme was started in the province of Hluthi in the vicinity of the SOS Children's Village Nhlangano where during a period of two and a half years needy families were provided with food. Afterwards the programme was step by step converted into a family strengthening programme. The programme enables children who are at risk of losing the care of their family to grow within a caring family environment. To achieve this, SOS Children’s Villages works directly with families and communities to empower them to effectively protect and care for their children, in cooperation with local authorities and other service providers.

At present there are three SOS Children's Villages, two SOS Youth Facilities, three SOS Kindergartens, three SOS Social Centres (family strengthening programmes) and three SOS Medical Centres in Swaziland.

Contact:
SOS Children's Village Association of Swaziland
Sidwashini
(below Waterford School)
Mbabane
Swaziland
tel. +268-422 08 78
fax +268-422 08 77