Building Society empowers Ekwetsembeni pupils

MBABANE – As part of its Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programme, the Swaziland Building Society (SBS) is providing financial support to Ekwetsembeni Special School.

A management team from the society, led by General Manager Leonard Dlamini, visited the school recently where they were taken through a guided tour of the school’s projects. Through the financial support, the school was able to start a hatchery project. It has also been able to purchase items for the pupils to produce products such as jewellery, mats, bags, dish washing liquid soap, petroleum jelly, floor polish and fabric softeners.

Deputy Head teacher Zanele Ndzinisa thanked SBS for the continued financial support it provided to the school. She said the society’s help enabled the school to attend to its needs. Agriculture teacher Muziyakhe Gule explained to the delegation that through a donation from the society, the school was able to establish a hatchery project consisting of layers and broilers. He said the pupils were involved in the production and packaging of eggs which were supplied to large retail shops. He said teachers, parents and other individuals supported by buying these eggs from the school.

Skills

Gule lamented that the outbreak of COVID-19 adversely affected the project which never recovered to date. “However, we intend to restart it after addressing some issues,” he said. He noted that some pupils had acquired hatchery skills through this project. He made an example of one of the pupils who established a hatchery business at home and sold broilers.

SBS General Manager Dlamini enquired what the sales proceeds were used for and if the pupils benefitted. Ndzinisa explained that the proceeds were used to purchase ingredients for production and excess products were given to pupils to take home.

She said some pupils would even sell wares in their neighbourhoods for their own financial gain. Dlamini noted that the challenge of children with special needs was huge. “As Building Society we feel good that we are part of this initiative,” he said.

(Courtesy pic) R-L: SBS’s Veli Dlamini, Cynthia Shabangu, SBS GM Leonard Dlamini, Dumsile Mkhwanazi, Ekwetsembeni Deputy Head teacher Zanele Ndzinisa and SBS’s Samkeliso Simelane.