CABRINI MINISTRIES ESWATINI

Cabrini Ministries (CM) is a Catholic community care organization based in the Lubombo Region of Eswatini. Legally established in 2006, CM was built on the foundations of the work started by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC), who arrived in Eswatini in 1971 to respond to the needs of the people.

  • Restoring life (kubuyisela imphilo)

  • To share the love of Jesus Christ by promoting the well-being of individuals and families through comprehensive integrated health care, education and social services to the most poor and vulnerable.

  • Hope (Kwetsemba)

    Mercy (Sihawu)

    Passion (Kutinikela)

    Quality (Lizinga)

    Justice (Ubulungiswa)

    Respect/empathy (Ubuntu)

CM’s approach to service delivery is family centered in a comprehensive and integrated manner. Over the past years, services provided to the communities included homestead assessments; case management, gender-based violence (GBV) services; primary healthcare provision; cervical cancer screening, treatment and referral; counseling; educational assistance; learning and development through play; education resource hub, and community education. Whilst the communities we work in are gradually developing, there are still underlying issues e.g. GBV and poverty. As an organization we continue to strengthen community education to ensure that the community is sensitized on GBV. We also conduct case management and family assessments for purposes of information gathering as means of providing a comprehensive package of services.

Some of the staff come from the communities we serve which makes it easy for CM to understand challenges faced by the population and to collaborate with community structures. CM understands that much can be done through collaborating with other stakeholders and, as such, we collaborate and coordinate our activities with stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health, the Department of Social Welfare (DSW), CANGO’s Children’s Consortium, hospitals and clinics, police, local and international NGOs and donors.

SCHOOLS & EDUCATION

  • Education interventions aim to promote opportunities through education, training and livelihoods. They increase students' learning outcomes at various levels, especially early grade reading achievement (of the primary age population) and increasing the workforce skills and employability skills of the youth.

  • The school has 3 class rooms and hosts 90 children from 3 to 6 years of age every year. Children from the settlement attend school every morning from Monday to Friday and get nutritious meals. Children also get health check ups at the beginning of every term and referral for vaccination and medical attention, in order to ensure a holistic development.

    Teachers adopt a Learn through play approach to enhance the learning environment, and address basic emotional and nutritional needs.

  • Every year around 20 students are supported with school fees, uniforms and school materials.

  • The Resource Hub offers free education resources to children, youth and teachers, such as books, internet access, reading club, etc. to help them with research and improving their skills.

  • CM provides ECCD training for teachers and parents for them to play an active and constructive role in promoting early education and monitoring proper child growth and development.

HEALTHCARE

  • Healthcare services aim to improve the well-being of the communities we serve and mitigate the negative effects of HIV/AIDS, TB and other infections, for them to live a quality and productive life.

  • The clinic provides basic healthcare services to more than 15,000 people every year, including HIV and TB screening, and cervical cancer prevention. Health education is also provided on a daily basis to clients accessing the clinic and weeekly during outreach visits.

  • The center provides support to children living with disabilities and their parents and caregivers, to ensure they can develop to their full potential and be integrated in their communities. Sessions of physical therapy and sign language are offered, as well as referrals to additional services.

SOCIAL SERVICES & HUMAN PROMOTION

  • CM interventions focus on three areas which include provision of basic services, GBV (Gender Based Violence) response management and economic strengthening interventions.

    Services include support for obtaining birth registration and certificates, awareness on HIV, awareness and management of GBV and abuse cases, entrepreneurship training for economic empowerment.