The Role of Relocation in Reunification: A Strategic Overview

The Kingdom of Eswatini is at a critical juncture when it comes to providing care for orphaned and vulnerable children. Over the past 18 years, Bulembu has served as a sanctuary, offering holistic care, education, and spiritual nurturing to hundreds of children. However, converging pressures — both external and internal — are forcing us to reconsider how and where we deliver this care.

As beautiful as Bulembu is, the impending mineral extraction interests from mining companies and the strategic focus on family reunification lead us to recognize the need to relocate the Bulembu childcare homes over the next five years. This white paper outlines the strategic advantages of this move and the long-term benefits it offers to the children’s quality of life, the likelihood of successful reunifications, and the financial sustainability of our mission.

1. The Strategic Value of Relocation for Children’s Quality of Life and Reunification

While Bulembu has provided an idyllic environment for children, it remains geographically remote. This isolation presents challenges in terms of access to services, education, and especially family reunification efforts. As we prayed through this decision, it became clear that moving the children’s homes to a new location near the capital city of Mbabane offers numerous advantages:

1.1 Access More Efficient Services and Opportunities

The relocation of the children’s homes to a 380-acre plot adjacent to our capital city hub, Potter’s Wheel Church, will allow our children to benefit from proximity to city services and amenities:

• Free Government Education: By moving closer to Mbabane, the children can attend government schools, giving them access to standardized education and the opportunity to engage with peers in a more integrated academic environment.
• Extracurricular Activities: Proximity to the city provides opportunities for children to participate in and compete with other schools in areas such as sports, arts, and other extracurricular activities. Something that has proven to be extremely challenging and therefore unavailable in a remote location like Bulembu.
• Healthcare and Social Services: Being near the capital means access to a broader array of medical care and social services, which is critical for the well-being of children and families, especially in cases where reunification is being pursued, and for special needs cases.

1.2 Improved Reunification Outcomes

One of our core objectives is to reunify children with their biological families whenever possible. Currently, the remoteness of Bulembu complicates this process, making it difficult for reunification teams to coordinate with families and conduct regular check-ins. By moving closer to the capital:

• Proximity to Families: Many reunification families reside in or near Mbabane. Relocating the children’s homes closer to their families will significantly increase the likelihood of timely and successful reunifications.
• Efficient Support and Monitoring: Our reunification teams will be able to conduct more frequent visits, provide ongoing support to families post-reunification, and ensure that children are placed in stable, loving environments more quickly and effectively.

1.3 Familiarity with Future Environments

Another key advantage of the move is helping children adapt to government schools and systems that they are likely to encounter after reunification. Currently, Bulembu Christian Academy (BCA) is one of the top educational institutions in Eswatini, but it does not align with the realities most children will face post-reunification. By integrating children into the government school system early, we can prepare them for future success and offer additional educational support to bridge any gaps in their learning.

2. Financial and Operational Efficiencies: The Impact of Relocation

Relocating the children’s homes is not only about improving care; it’s also about making our operations more cost-effective and sustainable. The financial and operational efficiencies gained through relocation will enable us to scale our impact, ultimately allowing us to care for more children and support more families.

2.1 Significant Cost Savings

By moving closer to the capital, we will be able to leverage government services and other resources that are not available in remote Bulembu. This will result in a conservative estimated saving of 35% on direct care costs, translating to approximately $1,800 per child per year. These savings can be reinvested into critical areas like: