‘I’VE CONSIDERED FEEDING FAMILY, MYSELF MASTA 900’

MBABANE – Eswatini is one of the countries known for a high rate of unemployment, but for Pollen Dlamini, this is not just a statistic but a harsh reality.

This is because Dlamini openly declared that he was failing to take care of his family and that he needed urgent help.
Dlamini revealed that he had triplets and that they were growing very fast also that he was unable to financially keep up with their basic needs.

The triplets’ names are Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego, which are popular biblical names of three men who were thrown into a burning furnace but they did not get burnt. In a plea for help, the 41-year-old father of the triplets and twins is desperately seeking assistance to provide for his large family, as he claims to be struggling to take care of them.

Dlamini, a resident of Maputo in Manzini, said he was in a dire financial situation, unable to support his children, due to unemployment. He said at the moment, his triplets were not attending pre-school, but was concerned that soon, they would be and that he would not be able to take care of them. Dlamini, who said he was the home-keeper while his wife worked and that this was a huge burden, because he did not have a source of income. He openly stated that he was faced with the immense challenge of meeting their needs.

Employed

Currently, only his wife was employed, but her salary fell short of sustaining the family’s requirements. Faced with this predicament, Dlamini said he was appealing to the public for support in securing employment that would provide a liveable wage. Expressing his concerns, Dlamini emphasised that a minimum monthly income of E6 000 was what he needed to adequately care for his children.

He explained that the financial strain was not limited to providing food and clothing for the little ones, but that other basic necessities like disposable nappies were a struggle to afford. Dlamini, reflecting on his past, disclosing that he used to own a tuck shop that generated some income for his family. 

However, the arrival of the triplets presented unexpected challenges that ultimately forced him to abandon the business. Currently, his plan is to secure employment and have his wife take over the management of the tuck shop to supplement their income.

Tragic

Dlamini confided that the weight of his family’s hardships had driven him to the brink of contemplating a tragic end for himself and his children. “I have thought of feeding my family and I  Masta 900,” he stated, referring a pesticide used for destroying army worms. He admitted to having entertained thoughts of consuming the poisonous substance, feeling helpless as he witnessed how his wife got up for work every day, yet he was not able to assist as the father of the  children.

In his plea for assistance, Dlamini said he was not just looking for handouts, but he needed a lasting solution. He said he needed assistance in form of either capital, that he could use to revive his business or at least a job. Dlamini said he needed capital of about E7 000, which he could use to fill up his spaza shop. He said once his spaza shop was filled with some basic items, he could sell these and generate an income daily.

Encouraged

Dlamini said he lived in a very busy area and that people would be encouraged to buy the items from him, while he could use the profits to support his children. Alternatively, Dlamini also suggested that, since he was a qualified driver and that he also had public permit, he was open to a job as a driver. He said with the salary that he would earn, he could be able to support his family in addition to the income from his wife.

He pleaded that he also did not want to give the children away, but wanted to make sure that they grew up in a home with their parents, so that they could raise them properly. “I love my children, but I am worried if I will be able to take care of them,” he stated. Also, he said if for now, he was not able get employment as a driver, he was willing to take any job, as long as he had the opportunity to earn a salary with which he would be able to support his family.

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