GLM Eswatini – Areas of Work

GLM Eswatini promotes sustainable community development to reduce poverty and to protect the environment. GLM Eswatini utilises the participatory working methods developed in Zambia.

Capacity building

The civil society in Eswatini is still relatively young. GLM Eswatini and other non-governmental organizations need support to become more influential actors in the Eswatini society. Another objective of the capacity building is to improve the abilities of the partner communities and youth groups in order to them to take bigger responsibility of their own development. Under capacity building GLM Eswatini holds trainings on different topics, e.g. leadership skills, event management, monitoring and evaluation and financial management.

Dry sanitation

Poor sanitation conditions are sadly very common in Eswatini. It is a serious risk for both the people’s health and the environment. GLM Eswatini promotes dry toilets to solve this problem. Dry toilets do not require water, which is crucial in regions where there is no sewage system or enough water. The feacal material is separated from the urine and composted in order to kill pathogens. A family can then use the compost and the urine in their garden as natural fertilizers. Thus the income and wellbeing of the families will improve when they can grow better vegetables for their own use or for selling. GLM Eswatini promotes the use of dry toilets by raising awareness, providing education and supporting the construction of the toilets.

Waste management

A common way of handling waste in Eswatini is to burn it or throw it in toilet pits. This poses a huge hazard to the health of people and the environment. GLM Eswatini increases awareness of environmental health, waste hierarchy and the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) through workshops, door-to-door visits and presentations at schools and different events. On top of that GLM Eswatini helps to generate waste-related income and entrepreneurship i.e. by constructing waste recycling centers, where people can come to sell their waste.

Organic gardening

Organic gardening is gardening without chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Instead of using chemicals, organic gardening is based on natural and environmental friendly practices. It uses compost, mulches, manure and organic pesticides as well as crop rotation. Organic gardening is sustainable, as it keeps the soil healthy and productive for future generations. The farmers become more independent since they can produce their own organic fertilizers instead of buying expensive commercial products. GLM Eswatini promotes organic gardening by organizing workshops educating people on both the theory and practice of composting, organic gardening, and the principles of permaculture gardening.

Grey water recycling

The idea behind grey water recycling is to reduce the use of often scarce water resources and also to avoid wasting the nutrients the grey water contains. GLM Eswatini promotes the use and treatment of grey water by giving education and building demonstrative grey water treatment facilities with the help from University of Eswatini. The partners have designed together an innovative grey water dam that is able to handle relatively great volumes of grey water.

Gender mainstreaming

Culture in Eswatini is highly hierarchical and women are often marginalized and excluded from decision-making. Gender equality is included to every activity GLM Eswatini has and the female empowerment is part of every project. In fact, a great part of the active participants in the partner communities are women. GLM Eswatini supports the female empowerment by offering education and new sources of income (such as making goods out of recycled materials).

Youth group empowerement

GLM Eswatini promotes the formation and empowerment of youth groups in the partner communities. Youth unemployment rate is very high in Eswatini. Empowering of the youth can, however, lower e.g. crime and teen pregnancy rates, and also drug abuse. Youths are full of energy and new ideas how to help their communities and their country. It is a valuable resource that should not be wasted. This is the reason why GLM Eswatini is working to empower the youth groups. GLM provides capacity building in forms of education, financial and practical support. Youth groups receive education on e.g. risk management, fundraising and communication skills. The support from GLM helps the youth groups to work better together and to make their dreams come true.