MBABANE – Fifty-four high school girls from across Eswatini have gathered at Waterford Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa for the 2026 edition of Brave Girl, a six-day residential empowerment programme aimed at equipping young women with confidence, knowledge and practical skills to shape their futures.
The programme, which runs from 10 to 15 August 2026, officially began on Monday with orientation, introductions and a series of sessions focused on health and safety, music and robotics.
Now in its ninth year, Brave Girl brings together young women for an intensive week of personal development, career exposure, skills-building and sisterhood.
Welcoming the participants, Brave Girl Waterford support team member Lungile Sihlongonyane said the team had eagerly anticipated their arrival.
“We are very happy to have you here and have been looking forward to welcoming you. We hope you have a wonderful time with us.”
Sihlongonyane is part of the Brave Girl 2026 support team alongside Martha Muchemwa and Tatenda Mabuya, who will accompany the participants throughout the residential programme.
Before the girls could fully settle into the week’s activities, safety was placed at the heart of the opening day.
Waterford Kamhlaba Eco-Estate Manager Steve Maguire, who also oversees health and safety at the College, took the participants through emergency procedures covering fire and lightning safety, emergency exits, evacuation procedures and designated assembly points.
The girls were shown the route from their hostel to the emergency assembly area, where they would gather according to their assigned corridors for roll call.
Maguire urged participants to familiarise themselves with the emergency exits around their accommodation and to remain calm during emergencies.
“Your safety is far more important than your possessions,” he told the girls.
He further stressed that participants should leave buildings immediately when a fire alarm sounds rather than returning to collect their belongings.
“The most important thing to remember during any emergency is to remain calm, follow instructions and prioritise your personal safety,” he said.
The safety briefing set an important foundation for a programme that places the wellbeing of participants at the centre of the residential experience.
Brave Girl was established at Waterford Kamhlaba in 2017 as a student-led gender-equality initiative.
The programme was created to provide a safe residential environment where girls approaching major educational and life decisions could openly discuss their ambitions, confidence, health, education and the challenges associated with gender inequality.
Over the years, the initiative has expanded into a comprehensive empowerment programme covering areas such as education, career planning, financial literacy, sexual and reproductive health, mental health and wellness, sports, the arts, sisterhood and self-defence.
One of its key components is Work Experience Day, which gives participants the opportunity to spend time in professional environments and gain first-hand exposure to careers that interest them.
Brave Girl now forms part of the broader work of the Young Women’s Empowerment Consortium (YWEC) at Waterford Kamhlaba. Launched in 2024, YWEC is a student-led initiative focused on advancing young women in Eswatini while building a network of influential young women under the motto “Beyond Limits, Beyond Labels.”
Among the highlights of the opening day was robotics, an area deliberately included to challenge traditional perceptions of careers available to young women.
Through Waterford’s YWEC Coding and Robotics initiative, participants are introduced to robotics and technology while being encouraged to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Music also formed part of the opening programme, bringing a creative element to a week that seeks to develop participants beyond academic and career preparation.
The combination of technology, creativity, personal development and career exposure reflects Brave Girl’s broader goal of helping young women discover their strengths and explore possibilities beyond what they may already know.
The girls will spend the remainder of the week participating in discussions, skills-building activities and experiences designed to broaden their understanding of themselves and the world around them.
A major highlight will be Work Experience and Job Shadowing on Thursday, 13 August, when participants will leave the Waterford campus for placements at businesses and organisations along the Manzini–Mbabane corridor.
The initiative is designed to expose the girls to professional environments and give them a practical understanding of careers they may have previously encountered only through school subjects or conversations.
The programme will conclude with a graduation ceremony on Saturday, 15 August, bringing together participants, their families, schools and members of the Brave Girl community to celebrate the girls’ achievements and reflect on the lessons gained during the week.
At its core, Brave Girl seeks to ensure that participants leave Waterford Kamhlaba with more than memories of a residential camp.
The programme aims to leave them with knowledge, confidence, exposure, meaningful relationships and a stronger understanding of what is possible.
With 54 girls taking part this year, Brave Girl 2026 continues a journey that began almost a decade ago, creating spaces where young women can learn from one another, challenge limiting expectations and become better equipped to make informed decisions about their education, careers and futures.
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