Vision: Vision: Partner Partner of choice of choice in alleviating in alleviating human human suffering suffering in Eswatini in Swaziland i Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society 2019/20 ANNUAL REPORT Mission: Saving lives, changing minds Mission: Saving lives, changing minds ii TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................... II PRESIDENT’S REMARKS ........................................................................................................................... 1 SECRETARY GENERAL’S SUMMARY ..................................................................................................... 4 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 5 ACHIEVEMENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 5 1.0 HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES ............................................................................................... 5 1.1 PRIMARY HEALTH CARE: MOTHER, INFANT, CHILD HEALTH, CURATIVE, AND HIV/TB .. 5 2.0 FIRST AID ......................................................................................................................................... 9 3.0 DISASTER MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................ 11 3.1 FIRE AND WINDSTORMS ................................................................................................................... 11 3.2 WINDSTORM INCIDENCES ........................................................................................................ 12 3.3 CONSTRUCTION OF TWO-ROOMED HOUSES ....................................................................... 12 3.4 FORMATION DRR COMMITTEES AT CHIEFDOM LEVEL ................................................... 13 3.5 RESTORING FAMILY LINKS ...................................................................................................... 14 3.6.2 CASH TRANSFERS ........................................................................................................................ 15 3.7 FOOD SECURITY .......................................................................................................................... 15 4.0 ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT .............................................................................................. 17 4.1 BRANCH DEVELOPMENT.................................................................................................................. 17 5.0. CORPORATE COMMUNICATION - INFORMATION DISSEMINATION .................................... 19 6. CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................................... 20 PRESIDENT’S REMARKS It is with greatest honour and privilege that on behalf of the National Executive Committee, I may present highlights on achievements made by the National Society in the year 2019/20 to the respected Annual General meeting. I’m happy that as we discharge our services, we continue to uphold the seven Fundamental Principles which always guide the way we do things as Red Cross. The humanitarian sector and the world over has been facing the COVID-19 pandemic which has negatively influenced our operations. Though this pandemic came towards the end of this reporting period, but its impact made the National Society to shift its focus and respond to the pandemic facing the country. It cannot be overemphasized that apart from COVID-19, the country is faced with a number of challenges which include recurrent drought, poor performing economies, HIV/AIDS and others. All these challenges have pushed to National Society to sometimes take hard decisions which then influenced our work as Baphalali. As we reflect on our work, I marvel to note that the Red Cross volunteers play a major role in ensuring that the Red Cross is always available whenever it is need in the different corners of the country. This is because the National Society has volunteers in most communities of the country. However, I’m concerned about the reduction in the number of volunteers who are subscribing to become members in the different branches. My request is that we all participate in recruitment of members and encourage old members to pay their subscriptions so that they may participate in all activities of the Society, while assisting the National Society generate some income. May I again request the entire National Society, the Divisions in particular to strengthen their focus on widening the network of young people to join the National Society and be part of first responders in humanitarian needs. Resources are key in sustaining all good programmes and activities. All the achievements the National Society has realized in 2019/20 have been made possible through the support by Partners including the Government of kingdom of Eswatini. Special thanks go to the Deputy Prime Minister’s office and all the Red Cross movement Partner who consistently provided guidance and support. The NS has also enjoyed the collaboration we had with other organizations like NDMA, UN Agencies (WFP, FAO and UNICEF) and others. Such collaboration has a potential for more efficient and effective handling of disaster situations in the country. Currently the Red Cross gets subvention from the Government of the kingdom of Eswatini, but the NS is not yet financially sustainable that it can comfortably implement its programmes and meet the needs of the vulnerable people of Eswatini. There is need for a major fundraising drive if the NS is to survive in this very competitive environment, and continue to adequately provide humanitarian services. Even in 2019 /20, the National Society worked very hard and under challenging conditions but managed to achieve quite a lot which include the following: 2 1. Courtesy call to the Deputy Prime Minister The National Society had scheduled that immediately after the Board induction, a courtesy call would be arranged for the Board to meet the Deputy Prime Minister. However, due to challenges of COVID-19 which was experienced during after the Board induction, the arrangement for the courtesy call were not pursued during this reporting period. 2. National Elections Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society was able to successfully conduct its national elections, a process which started at Branch level, Division level and then at National level. The elections produced a new leadership in the National Society, right from Branches up to the National Executive Committee (the Board). At National level, the elections had new Board members: Vice President, five Chairpersons from Divisions, and two additional members. The NS also the Honorary Treasurer who was introduced in the previous annual General Assembly. The elections were done smoothly and without challenges. 3. Board Induction In an effort to ensure the Board members are at the same level of understanding their responsibility in the governance function, and to reinforce the leadership skills in the newly elected leadership, the National Society conducted a Board Induction course for Board. This workshop was done on three separate days with Facilitators from both outside and inside the National Society. The workshop was attended by the all the Board members. 4. Statutory, Regional and Governance meetings 4.1 Governance Meetings The Board also had a total of four Board meetings and the attendance was very good in all the meetings. Though not all Board Sub-committees held their meetings as planned, but the Finance Committee was able to meet regularly to provide their oversight responsibility. These are the meetings where the Board discuss policy issues and also monitor progress. The five Divisions also held their Divisional Committee meeting as per the plan. 4.2 Southern Africa Partnership meeting for Red Cross Societies (SAPRCS) meetings The President and the Secretary General were able to attend three SAPRCS meetings in Lesotho in May 2019, Eswatini in November 2019 and South Africa in in February 2020. The SAPRCS meeting is where the IFRC, ICRC and the 10 National Societies within Southern Africa meet to discuss progress and other movement issues. The 10 National Societies are: South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Angola and Eswatini. Major issues discussed in this conference include: integrity, resource mobilizations, preparations for international conference, PAC indicators and main issues from statutory meetings. In November 2019, Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society hosted this important meeting (SAPRCS), which was officially opened by the Deputy Prime Minister. 3 The November meeting was also used to discuss preparations for the Red Cross statutory meetings which was held in Geneva in December 2019. Generally, the SAPRCS meeting was a huge success and the meeting delegates also reported to have learnt a lot as they visited Baphalali projects while in the country. 4.3 IFRC Statutory Meetings Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society attended a Red Cross General Assembly and Council of Delegates meetings which were held in Geneva in December 2019. This was an important meeting because not only movement resolutions were made, but elections of Governance Sub-committees, signing of pledges and resource mobilization meetings were conducted. In