http://goldertrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/gto_newsletter_april_may_2011.pdf

Read the March newsletter to learn more!

Normally, Bulembu e-updates share stories that focus on advancements within the community and various success stories.  Bulembu is a solution, but it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that there are significant and chronic problems that persist throughout Swaziland.  Lorraine, one of Bulembu’s outstanding social workers, is a frontline witness to these problems and what she experiences on a regular basis reminds us of why Bulembu is so vital to Swaziland’s future.  We recently asked Lorraine to share a story to remind us of why so many have committed themselves to ensuring that Bulembu succeeds.  This is the story Lorraine has chosen to share.

While driving in rural Swaziland responding to a social welfare call, Lorraine received a call about another family that lived nearby.  When she arrived at this traditional Swazi homestead, she was immediately aware that one of the walls of the single room stick-and-mud house had collapsed due to the torrential rains that soaked Swaziland earlier in the month.  She was also aware that she was not alone when she saw four children playing outside -  the youngest two without any clothes on.  Talking to the parents who appeared from inside the ruined mud house, a fifth child clinging to the mother, Lorraine learned that both parents were mentally ill and the neighbours were taking it upon themselves to try and help the family with what little they had to offer.  The community employed the father as the community gardener where he earned barely enough to provide a little food for his family.  Neighbours donated clothes to the children, although the parents did not see clothing their children as something important.

Caption: Common home construction on rural homesteads in Swaziland

As Lorraine spoke to the family she sensed that the parents love their children and heard from the children that they love their parents – but Lorraine could not banish the feeling of hopelessness welling up in her.  The parents have no ID cards and the children have no birth certificates; without these documents, the parents cannot apply for the small government grants available to some of Swaziland’s most poor and sick.  The children do not go to school because the parents cannot apply for education grants and, even if they did have the proper documentation, it’s unlikely grants would be awarded to these children as both parents are still alive and education grants are typically only available to orphaned or vulnerable children.  The process to get the family the proper documentation could take over a year, with countless trips to government offices many miles away.  The family has no finances to accomplish this daunting task (the family income affords them less than a loaf of bread a day) and the government’s welfare offices continue to lack the resources to transport its staff to family homesteads like this one.  This family is stuck and the cycle of poverty that has claimed them is destined to repeat itself.

Lorraine’s hands are tied. 

Bulembu is not the solution for all of the issues facing Swaziland, but as the community becomes self-sustaining and grows to care for over 1,000 orphaned and vulnerable children, a new generation of leaders will emerge.  These young men and women will become leaders in their homes, communities and country, and these young people will be agents of transformation working to ensure a better future for their nation.

We want to thank Lorraine for all the important work she does to bring children into our community.  And on this International Women’s Day we celebrate Lorraine and all of the women in our community.

BONUS – A great (short) audio report by the BBC on the changing economics in Swaziland – click here.

Since 2003, Golder employees, clients and vendors have donated over $1 million USD to the Trust, which it has invested in sustainable development projects in Africa that have thus far improved the lives of over 1000 children in five African countries.

The Essakane Gold Project were presented an award for “Exceptional Project Team” and elected to donate the $25,000 CDN they received for a President’s Award to the Golder Trust for Orphans.

This generous donation will go a very long way to making a difference to the lives of African children!