MDG1 – Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

The Beloit study shows that women involved with SIP experience an alleviation of their respective poverty level. 37% of the population in the Lubombo Region where SIP is active live in extreme poverty and hunger; interviews show that the majority of the kernel income is spent on food.

MDG2 – Achieve universal primary education

Currently only the first 3 years of primary school in Swaziland are free of school fees. Families still have to pay for the obligatory school uniform and the further 4 years of primary school. School fees are the 2^nd most mentioned use of kernel income by SIP’s suppliers.

MDG3 – Promote gender equality and empower women

Statements by many SIP suppliers interviewed for the Beloit study show that they gain self esteem from contributing to their family’s survival or improvement, from meeting and exchanging advice with other women in similar circumstances at the procurement meetings, and that they feel in a stronger negotiating position.

MDG4 – Reduce child mortality

Several SIP suppliers told the researchers they feel better equipped to “deal with” HIV and AIDS, 75% stated improved nutrition for the family thanks to kernel income. In SIP’s own impact interviews, ability to access health care for their children is a frequently stated result of the kernel income.

MDG5 – Improve maternal health

No specific data on maternal health, but it can be assumed that not only the children’s, but also their mothers’ health, benefits from the stated improved nutrition and better access to health care.

MDG6 – Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Swaziland currently has the world’s highest recorded rates of both HIV/AIDS and TB infection. Several of the respondents in the Beloit study stated they feel better equipped to defend themselves against HIV (e.g. able to negotiate condom use, no longer dependant on “sugar daddies”) or AIDS (e.g. ability to comply with ARV treatment thanks to regular nutrition).

MDG7 – Ensure environmental sustainability

Swaziland’s indigenous forests, where marula grows, are threatened by deforestation and overgrazing, the environment in general by inappropriate waste disposal. The marula value chain combined with education and tree planting campaigns conducted by SIP contribute to the protection of the natural resource.

MDG8 – A global partnership for development

That is what SIP represents: Transforming Swazi renewable natural resources, in Swaziland, under fair conditions and with developmental impact, into products that offer consumers around the world both functional and emotional benefits. Purchasing the products enables a continuous contribution to the Millennium Development Goals.

After hearing both the previous Executive Director, John Pearce, and the current one, Chris Dlamini, presenting the Annual Report, the meeting moved on to elect the Company’s Board of Directors. Khumbuzile Tsabetse of Siphofaneni, Yvonne Patequana from Kalanga and Thulani Dlamini from Mpolonjeni were elected as Community Representatives, while Senator Thuli Dladla and  Dolores Godeffroy of eDladleni were elected as Professional Representatives.

Chairperson Futhi Mdluli said she was delighted at the turnout and thanked delegates for ‘our best AGM yet’.

Our thanks in organising the submission once again go to Eileen Murphy at Scotia Fair Trade following her success some months ago in helping Swazi Secrets marula oil’s selection in Elle UK magazine’s Beauty Awards 2010.

With greetings from the Swazi Secrets team.

We needed to add a preservative to the product to ensure its lifespan once opened, and this proved a trickier task than we expected. The exfoliator is an oil based product and most preservatives are water based. Of those that are oil based, almost all contain parabens which we will not use. However, the hunt is over, we have a friendly preservative and we’re back on the market.

Users should note that it is still unwise to use the product in the shower or in such a way as to get water in the tube, in the same way as avoiding getting water into any oil based product.

We’re delighted to be on display in Germany’s Store of the Year 2011, Shop der guten Taten gemeinnützige GmbH, or in English, the House of Good Deeds. Our thanks to our German distributor, GAFPRO (Good African Products) for permission to lift this from their Facebook page.