MAIN PORTAL
SITE MAP
Flag

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The Mandate of the Department of Community Development is to facilitate and support community-based socio-economic initiatives through: community mobilisation and sensitization, capacity building, promoting community participation in community development programs and providing skills for sustainable development to enhance self-reliance.

Functions of the Community Development Department:

  • Conduct Community mobilization and sensitization meetings,
  • Enhance community capacities in order to break the poverty cycle and dependency syndrome,
  • Ensure that development is coordinated and sustainable,
  • Facilitate and promote the establishment of chiefdom development plans,
  • Facilitate the establishment of community development projects,
  • Empower communities to plan,implement, monitor and evaluate their projects and programs,
  • Instill ownership of development initiatives by communities,
  • Coordinate development activities in communities, including those from other government departments, NGO's and community based organizations and
  • Facilitate and organise educational tours/exchange visits with communities. 

Programmes;

1. Self-Help Initiatives

The Self-Help program is responsible for:

  • Mobilizing/Sensitizing communities to establish community development projects(income generation/infrastructural projects),
  • Capacitating communities on leadership skills, project management, constitution drafting etc,
  • Facilitating the establishment of Chiefdom development plans and
  • Assisting communities to access development funds.

2. Women In Development Program

The Women In Development (WID) Unit is responsible for community skills and development. Community members are equipped with various income generation and livelihood skills as a poverty alleviation strategy. These skills include Sewing, Food Processsing,Gardening, Business Management and Appropriate Technology skills (such as making fence, water harvesting tanks, washing sinks,toilet seats, roof tiles etc).

This Unit has five (5) training centres in all four regions : Siphofaneni and Sithobela (Lubombo Region), Ntfonjeni (Hhohho Region),Mahlangatsha (Manzini Region) and Mahamba/Zombodze (Shiselweni Region). The training program is divided into two: the In-house Training Programme (whereby training is conducted at the training centre) and the Out-reach Training Program (whereby the trainings are conducted in the communities). Follow -ups are conducted to ensure graduates form business enterprises and to identify upgrading needs for graduates.

3.Appropriate Technology

The Appropriate Technology program is responsible for capacitating communities with various skills which are aimed at income generation, labour saving and home improvement. Such skills include making of cement, water harvesting tanks, toilets, toilet seats, bricks, cement fencing poles, fence, wood stoves, pavers, window seals, flower pots, roof tiles and many more. The community chooses the type of skill they want depending on their specific need.

4. Radio Program

This program involves the provision of information on the Ministry's programs and activities while also providing educational programs to the nation.It involves two (2) weekly national radiobroadcast slots, which are:

  • Iyatfutfuka Imiphakatsi (Chiefdom Developmet) every Tuesday at 06:15 am and
  • Kwentekani Etinkhundleni (Development programs and activiries taking place at various Tinkhundla Centres) every Saturday at 11:00 am.

Contact Details of the Community Development Department

Principal Community Development Officer: Mr Majahodvwa Nkonde
Tel:  2404 1244/349
Cell:7617 5090

Regional Offices;

  • Hhohho Regional Offices      : 2404 2191
  • Manzini Refional Offices       : 2505 8694
  • Shiselweni Regional Offices : 2207 7276
  • Lubombo Regional Offices    : 2343 4599

For the Women In Development (WID) and Appropriate Technology (AT) programs, each centre can be contacted at the Mvutshini Women In Development Unit:

  • WID Mvutshini                      : 2416 0890
  • Ntfonjeni                                 : 2431 7286
  • Sithobela/Sithobelweni       : 2344 16111
  • Mahlangatsha                        : 2531 5049
  • Mahamba/Zombodze           : 2237 0136
  • Siphofaneni                            : 2344 1010

OffCanvas Menu