Mbabane- Proceeds from the 11th edition of the Walk for Hunger will be channelled towards buying groceries for vulnerable children, with child-headed families expected to be among the key beneficiaries.
The five-kilometre walk, organised by the Esicojeni Foundation, is scheduled for October 11 and is aimed at mobilizing resources to help address hunger among vulnerable children in communities across the country.
For getting deserved families, the foundation’s Vice Chairperson Marjine Baralin said they are working with World Vision in identifying the children most in need through assessments conducted on the ground, ensuring that assistance raised through the campaign reaches families facing the greatest food insecurity.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of persistent child hunger, with the Deputy Prime Minister Hon.Thulisile Dladla noting that one in three children in communities across the country goes to bed hungry.
Speaking during the launch of the 11th Walk for Hunger on Friday at the DPM Boardroom Dladla said the campaign was about more than simply raising awareness, as funds raised would be converted into practical assistance for vulnerable families.
She said the proceeds would contribute towards the purchase of groceries, particularly for child-headed households that often struggle to meet their basic food needs.
“These are not just distant numbers or statistics. It is a lived reality on our city streets, in our neighbourhoods and within families,” she noted.
The foundation, established in 2007, has spent nearly two decades working to combat child hunger in Eswatini. Balarin said its work was guided by the belief that no child should go to bed hungry or be deprived of the opportunity to grow, learn and thrive.
She said the right of every child to adequate food and nutrition should not be viewed as a matter of charity alone, but as a responsibility shared by the nation.
The five-kilometre walk is therefore expected to bring together families, schools, churches, businesses, people with disabilities and communities in support of vulnerable children.
The public is also encouraged to contribute through donations, sponsorships and food support, with organizers stressing that participation is not limited to those who are physically able to complete the walk.
Dladla said the fight against child hunger required government and its partners to work together, noting that government alone could not address the challenges faced by vulnerable children.
“We need the strength of partners. We need the strength of traditional leadership, civil society, the private sector and, of course, communities to complement national strategies and ensure that no child is left behind,” she stressed.
Businesses have also been urged to support the initiative through sponsorships, resources and corporate social responsibility programmes.
The DPM said the walk was not a competition, but a national expression of solidarity with children affected by hunger and food insecurity.
The 11th Walk for Hunger will take place on October 11 2026, at Somhlolo Stadium, 06: 30 A.M
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