Mbabane – The United States and the Kingdom of Eswatini last week marked the completion of four major school infrastructure projects worth more than US$3.15 million (approximately E51.4 million), benefiting over 1,500 learners across the Hhohho and Shiselweni regions.
The projects were a direct response to the destruction caused by Tropical Cyclone Eloise in 2021, which damaged school infrastructure across parts of the country. Working through the Ministry of Education and Training, the US government funded the construction of new classrooms at Etjedze Primary School, Makhonza Primary School, Kamzila FEA Primary School, and Ejubukweni Primary School.
New kitchen facilities were also built at Ejubukweni, Kamzila FEA, and Makhonza Primary Schools as part of the programme.
Minister of Education and Training Honourable Owen Nxumalo joined US Chargé d’Affaires Marc Weinstock at the handover ceremony, where Weinstock said: “True partnership means investing not just in buildings, but in the people and communities who will maintain and benefit from them long after we leave. This is what U.S. partnership looks like in practice: responsive, accountable, and rooted in respect for Eswatini’s people and priorities.”
The projects were implemented through the US Army Corps of Engineers, with a deliberate focus on using local labour, suppliers, and subcontractors, extending the economic impact of the investment beyond the school gates.
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