The Project
Teach English and Childcare in Swaziland

There are a number of small care centres and non-profit organisations in Swaziland who are assisting orphans and vulnerable children. The centres provide these children with basic food, care and education. Food is often grown in local gardens and some is donated. In these communities there are also a growing number of child-headed households, in which no parents or extended family adults are around to lead a household and look after the children. These children are particularly vulnerable and often in desperate need of infrastructural support.

The Orphan Care Project aims to assist these vulnerable children in a number of different ways, to construct basic shelters, gardens, water systems and other physical structures needed at care centres and child-headed households. The project also supports the children through this process by transferring skills, providing basic education and helping to care for them. The project also involves investigating and researching into the areas that need help and raising general and community awareness of the children and their needs.

The national curriculum is based on the English schooling system. The schools we work with are generally in central Swaziland in the Ezulwini-Lobamba semi-rural area. In these communities there are a number of schools which are overcrowded, under-resourced and are in need of support. The Teaching Project aims to assist these schools through its continued support, by helping to teach children English and other subjects that will improve their future prospects for employment, whilst transferring skills and sharing cultural perspectives.

You don’t have to be a teacher to take part in and enjoy our teaching project; all you need is to be motivated and sensitive. We will help you settle in to a role that will be beneficial to the children you work with and allow you to gain valuable skills yourself. Placements are usually in primary schools as this is where we believe there is the greatest need for our support.