Kingdom of eSwatini
OMG! Our commitment to the Kingdom of eSwatini is crazy!
The Kingdom of eSwatini is the second-smallest country in Africa and has a population of 1.16 million total people. 59% of the population lives in poverty and depend on small-scale agriculture for their economic livelihood.
Approximately 23% of the population is unemployed.
The Kingdom of eSwatini is among the world’s most HIV-affected countries. Additional, about 27% of people aged 15-49 and 17% of the entire population are affected by HIV. This is one of the reasons for the increase in the number of orphaned and vulnerable children. The life expectancy is 60 years-old and the mortality rate of children under age five is 49/1000.
Violence against women is increasing. According to the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organizations (CANGO), 78% of women in eSwatini are survivors of gender-based violence.
17%
The percent of entire population that is affected by HIV.
our commitment
In 2012, we committed to work to bring the ENTIRE Kingdom of eSwatini safe, clean drinking water. At that time it was estimated that the cost to do this would be a little more than $50 Million. Our initial goal was to accomplish this in a decade – 10 years to change the face of a nation.
We are so proud of the work we’ve done, and we learned a LOT over the those first 10 years. We scaled up our In-Country Team on the ground, built documenting and reporting infrastructure, and have completed hundreds of water, sanitation, and hygiene (W.A.S.H.) projects bringing tens of thousands of residents safe, clean water for life.
size
eSwatini is a small country, landlocked country in Southern Africa, making the goal of reaching 100% coverage attainable.
the impact of water on hiv/aids
Most people don’t realize or talk about the relationship between access to safe, clean water and HIV/AIDS, but it is huge. Water plays an incredibly critical role in effectively treating and managing AIDS – especially in rural communities. Even if people have access to medical treatment or antiretroviral medication, but are still forced to drink dirty water from contaminated sources, the diseases in the water people drink will actually kill them faster than AIDS itself. So, the ability to make a positive impact on two issues at once with this commitment is incredibly exciting.
case study
We didn’t make the commitment to the Kingdom of eSwatini for the sake of eSwatini. WHEN we reach this goal (after we celebrate a LOT), we will take all of the data we are amassing and create an incredible case study that we can present to the U.N., the current administrations of the world, other friends & water organizations to strategize and replicate EVERYWHERE.
Our Strategy
The Education Community
We target partnerships in the education community to educate a significant body of students about the global water crisis, moving them to action, and building a socially-conscious generation of young people.
The Corporate World
We target corporate partnerships and sponsors to demonstrate to them the power of community that develops and enhances life beyond the business world.
The Entertainment Community
We target partnerships in the entertainment community to call people of extreme influence to use their voice to raise the profile of the water crisis cause and give generously of their resources to end it.
The Financial World
We target partnerships in the financial community to call them to action, employing their financial acumen and access to major assets to be used to effectively change an entire country in one generation.
The Faith-Based Community
We target those in Faith-Based Communities to create ongoing partnerships that will see giving a portion of their storehouses will be a blessing for all those involved.
Major Gifts (Individuals & Foundations)
We target partnerships and sponsors among individual donors, trusts and foundations able and willing to contribute major one time and/or ongoing gifts that will make great strides toward the completion of this campaign