On October 29, 2022, Autism Eswatini successfully held its first Fundraising Golf Tournament. The tournament took place at the Ubombo country club situated in Big Bend. Featuring 52 players in a four-ball alliance format, the tournament had tee-off time at 9:00 am and players went to hit their ball at the first green situated just down from the country club restaurant. The games ended around 2:00 pm and prize presentations of winners came posthumously accompanied by speeches from different representatives including the delegation from the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office.
The tournament was aimed at raising funds towards increasing access to therapeutic services for 255 children/individuals with Autism and Intellectual Disabilities in the communities, in 7 strategic areas established in 2021 in the 4 regions of the country which are in the hard-to-reach areas and the establishment of a sensory room for the Autism Eswatini office. The proceeds of the tournament will contribute towards the beginning of Autism Eswatini One Stop Centre plus the entire operations of the organization which is mostly service delivery in nature. The event also provided a platform for participants to network while contributing significantly to a charitable course in Eswatini.
Background information
Autism Eswatini, also known as Litsemba Lemliba Support Centre is a non-profit making organization based in Eswatini, whose mission & vision is; to focus on children/individuals and families affected by Autism Spectrum & Neurodevelopmental Disorders by giving support; rehabilitation, awareness, advocacy, research, protection as well as psychosocial support to their families thus bringing hope to individuals with Autism and their families.
The organization has been in operation since 2013 and depends on donor funding and personal funding since its inception. These have stifled the organization’s growth and reach because of financial limitations. Autism Eswatini is an organization of governance with a Board of Directors in place, a Support Committee, a professional network, and family support networks placed under the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office.
Autism is on the increase in Eswatini currently at 1 in 6 people accounting for 16.7% most of which lives below the poverty line at E874 per month with an average occupancy of 7, as revealed by the first Autism survey done in the Lubombo region (UNFPA, DPMO & Autism Eswatini 2020). Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior patterns. This is a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them.