EU, ITC EMPOWER VUVULANE FOOD MARKET

MBABANE - The Vuvulane Food Market has recently received a significant boost with the installation of a 10KW solar power plant and water tanks.

The initiative came about through the support of the European Union (EU) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) under the ‘Eswatini: Promoting growth through competitive alliances’ programme. This development marks a significant milestone for the market, enhancing its operations and benefitting the surrounding community. During the solar power plant and water tanks handover event held on July 24, 2024 at Vuvulane, EU Ambassador to the Kingdom of Eswatini, Dessislava Choumelova, applauded the Vuvulane Food Market’s alignment with the EU’s values.

Safety

She said: “This project embodies the EU’s commitment to sustainability, solidarity, and community development. Khulekani’s vision and dedication are exemplary. We are proud to support a project that not only protects the environment, but also fosters community growth and safety.”  The ambassador added that part of the reasons they are supporting the country through the ‘Eswatini: Promoting growth through competitive alliances’ programme was to help more young people and women, in particular, to get into value chains and contribute to the economic growth and the sustainable development of the country.

“You probably don’t know but, in the EU, 50 per cent of income is generated by small and medium enterprises. Some started as family businesses. Some were started by young people who came together or associations of producers of a certain product and they grew and became very strong. They support each other. They share knowledge and best practices. This is what the project we are implementing in partnership with the ITC is doing here for the companies that are part of the project,” she said.

Commitment

On the other hand, Khulekani Msweli, Founder of Vuvulane Food Market, shared his inspiring journey and the challenges they went through to reach this point. He said: “I started the business in 2019 with Fikile Zwane and Ntokozo Nhlapho. They have been with us for all these years, witnessing our growth from a mere bushveld to something truly inspiring,” Msweli recounted.

“Energy was a significant issue. Connecting to the grid was prohibitively expensive, about E54 000, which was beyond our means. So, we decided to go solar, aligning with our commitment to environmentalism. With the support from the EU and ITC, we installed the solar panels and water tanks, which have greatly improved our operations,” he added.   
Msweli emphasised the broader impact of these installations. “The solar power has allowed us to install security lights, making the area safer at night and reducing incidents of crime. This project is not just for our business, it positively affects the entire community,” he said. “The water tanks have also been greatly helpful. Now, we can order water. In the future, our greatest ambition is to have a borehole because that would mean that we would no longer need to have trucks bringing in the water to the tanks.

Gratitude

‘‘Therefore, we are still going to be shouting out there and pleading for a borehole: That way, we will be having a proper close loop system,” he added. Due to his commitment to the development of his community, the Vuvulane Development Committee invited Msweli to lead the sub-committee of small businesses at Vuvulane. He is also a treasurer of a farmer’s company within the community known as Vuvulane Wetfu Farmers Company.

“We are not just a little island on the side of the road. We are very much a part of the entire community of Vuvulane,” said Msweli. This was confirmed by Vuvulane Development Committee Chairman Mfundo Magongo. He further expressed gratitude to all stakeholders involved in the support of the Vuvulane Food Market under the project supported by the EU. “Msweli’s efforts motivate us all. His work has paved the way for further development at Vuvulane, reducing crime and creating opportunities. We will continue to support him and encourage the youth to learn from his example,” he said.

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