Blogs from Mbabane, Swaziland, Africa - page 2

Hello! This is my first entry so here goes! Am currently sitting in an internet cafe in Mbabne (the capital) and its RAINING!!! shock horror. still rocking with the flip flops though. So what have I been up to? THe first 4 night (i think) i spent in a place called sondzela backpackers in the milwane game park (north west Swaziland). We left there on Sunday the 11th to head to Shewula, a remote community in the north east of the country. This is where we spent the first 2 weeks, working with the local community renovating a school building in a school for orphans called Majembeni. We were staying in Shewula mountain camp in lovely rondavels (apart from the scorpion spiders under the beds and the trillion tiny ants wasn't so lovely). The view here ... read more

Hello from Swaziland! Am having a great time, having met some wonderful people and am very busy working on my volunteer project. As opposed to teaching in a regular school as originally planned, I've moved to a different and in some ways more challenging project. I'm based at the NCP (Neighbourhood Care Point) where there's about 26 orphaned or 'at risk' children aged between 18 months and 18 years! All the children come to the NCP because they can not afford to pay the school fees required at all schools in Swaziland. All are 'at risk' children either because they are orphans or have lost one parent and likely to lose a second soon. There's no real way of telling but taking in account their backgrounds, maybe about 80% of the children are HIV+. I still ... read more

Well we're writing this 7 months in arrear, but realise there's no picture's of swaziland on google!! am writing this with my sister, who's husband is swazi. we've been there for a total of 5 weeks during the past 2 years with their twin boys - 2 and a half as we write. i have to say if you're travelling in southern africa and have a chance to, visit swaziland! it's the most breathtakingly beautiful landscape, and if you feel in anyway unsafe in south africa (where amy had her wallet stolen - but we loved despite that!), you won't feel that way here! sd (swaziland to the locals) has a wealth of game reserves and wildlife reserves that are far better value and have easier access than those over the south african border. aside from ... read more

Up early and off for Swaziland. Deano drove first. The scenery is pretty at times, getting better as we head east. We count 6 to 7 power plants along the way. Drive goes smoothly, and I take over as we enter Swaziland. We get to the Mt. Inn and meet Magugu, Donna, Kevin, and Willard. Kevin's interview happens next, we have lots of sound issues but all goes well. Jim is very pleased. he decides that we will not go back to Joberg to shoot, but stay in Swaziland the whole time. The project is suddenly a lot about the AIDS situation in Swaziland, not all of Africa. Shortly later, Jim says he wants to stay an extra week and shoot everything for the longer form doc too. So, within 24 hours the whole project ... read more