Eswatini - The Lubombo Inclusion Project

The Lubombo Inclusion operates in the Rural, mountainous area f Matsanjeni North Inkhundla in the Lubombo region of Eswatini.

Launched in April 2026, and developed in partnership with Libumba Inclusion Initiative, the project has begun to support children in the Maphungwane chiefdom, settled on top of a mountain plateau, with aspirations to extend to 2 more sublocations as the project develops.

These communities are geographically isolated and significantly under-served. Most families survive through subsistence farming, informal work and elderly grants, while many homes lack electricity, safe transport and reliable access to water. Disabled children are among the most excluded members of the community, often facing barriers to education, healthcare, therapy, transport and social participation from an early age.

Although Eswatini has progressive disability policies on paper, services in rural areas remain extremely limited. Across Matsanjeni North, there are very few disability-specific resources available beyond Libumba’s work in the community. Families frequently travel long distances on poor roads to reach the nearest hospital in Siteki, and many children never access rehabilitation or therapeutic support at all.

The project was developed in response to the realities faced by families caring for disabled children in the region. Many caregivers — particularly mothers and grandmothers — experience intense stigma, abandonment and poverty. In some cases, disabled spend most of their lives isolated at home due to mobility barriers, community misconceptions or lack of inclusive opportunities. Others are unable to attend school despite a willingness from local teachers, simply because buildings, transport and classrooms are inaccessible or under-resourced.

The Lubombo Inclusion Project is currently in development phase, with four local mothers being trained to deliver playschemes twice a week at our first Maphungwane hub. Due to the mountainous nature of the area, the project will eventually transform into a “playscheme with a van” project, travelling between 3 different sublocations . The project creates safe and nurturing spaces where can play, socialise, learn and access therapeutic support from our partner physios, speech and language therapists and ocuppational therapists, within their own communities.

The playschemes combine structured play, stimulation activities, nutritional support and therapeutic input in a setting designed around inclusion and relationship-building. Alongside supporting children directly, the project also works with caregivers through training, peer support groups and opportunities for local employment as playworkers, cooks and community support staff.