Incwadzi Yetfu

Welcome to The Magic Kingdom — the official website of the Friends of Swaziland. Friends of Swaziland is composed primarily of returned volunteers and others who have lived and served in the southern African Kingdom of Swaziland. Other individuals who are concerned about development issues related to Swaziland, and Africa in general, are also welcomed to participate in this information and aid site.

Friends of Swaziland is a non-profit organization organized exclusively for the purposes specified above and in accordance with Section 501 c(3) of the the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. We're hoping this website will serve to generate some memories, give you an idea of what's going on in Swaziland, reconnect with some old friends, and encourage you to join our organization. We hope you'll find it useful. Please send any comments to emailus@FriendsOfSwaziland.org.

Friends of Swaziland is an affiliate of the National Peace Corps Association.

Sala kahle,

The Board

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Recent Friends of Swaziland News

FEBRUARY 2013
 
FOS supports Swaziland RPCV Evelyn Acheson with a donated laptop computer and $950 check toward supplies and other expenses. Evelyn left for Swaziland in early March to volunteer for a few months on a nursing education project. You can read her blog at www.acheson.biz/evelyn.

FOS helps Fund PCV's Peace Corps Partnership Project, "Primary School Library." The FOS Board awarded $500 to fund this project. The Swaziland PCV wrote FOS, saying, "the school committee has asked for my assistance in turning an old classroom into a library. This will provide the students with better access to the books and also with a place for them to study and receive homework help. Also given my background in art I have decided to combine the library with a mural project. The students in grades 5-7 will receive art lessons designed to teach them new skills and unlock their creativity. The classes will close with a mural design contest where a winner from each grade will be chosen to have their design painted on the wall either inside or outside of the library."

SEPTEMBER 2012

Jack Conrad's efforts raise over $8000 for Young Heroes. Swaziland RPCV and FOS Board Member, Jack Conrad, endured an epic bike ride of 750 km through 6 countries in the heart of Europe, to raise funds for the Young Heroes, a non-profit group operating in Swaziland that supports AIDS orphans. Thanks go out to the 33 RPCVs and friends who made contributions and our Treasurer, Scott Lewis, for keeping up with all the contributions!

Meeting with Swaziland PC Country Director. A small gathering of DC area RPCVs met with Steve Driehaus, Swaziland Peace Corps Country Director, as he discussed the fine work that PCVs are doing in Swaziland and future programming directions. Steve was also receptive to the idea of RPCVs visiting Swaziland in 2014 and participating in a project. Stay tuned.

AUGUST 2012

RPCVs meet with New U.S. Ambassador to Swaziland. We were very pleased to oblige the new U.S. Ambassador to Swaziland, Malika James, who asked to meet with Friends of Swaziland before she reported to her new post. Thus, we convened a group of DC area RPCVs at Nando's Peri Peri in DC (Chinatown) for a very positive meeting. Ambassador James was very interested in what we had done as volunteers and identifying the needs in Swaziland.

MAY 2012

FOS Helps Fund Chaperone for AIDS Conference. At the request of PCV Darryn Crocker serving in Swaziland, we raised the last $500 needed to send a chaperone for the Swazi youth who were attending the AIDS conference in Washington, DC in August.

JANUARY 2012

FOS helps fund two Peace Corps Partnership Projects. FOS helped fund two projects sponsored by PCVs serving in Swaziland. The first help fund the annual Camp GLOWS, an empowerment experience for young Swazi girls. The other provided funds for the Books for Swaziland project to provide for shipment of worthwhile books for libraries in Swaziland.