Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Lukhetseni community is poised to benefit from a cultural heritage-based tourism initiative aimed at preserving local traditions while opening up sustainable livelihood opportunities for residents.
This follows a visit by officials from the Eswatini National Trust Commission (ENTC) to introduce the Matsenjeni North Inkhundla Cultural Heritage-Based Sustainable Tourism Project to the community on June 20, 2026. The initiative is funded by the European Union through UNESCO and is designed to promote community-based cultural heritage tourism while helping local communities transform their heritage, traditions and way of life into economic opportunities.
At the same time, the project seeks to ensure that these cultural assets are preserved for future generations, making heritage both a source of identity and a tool for development.
Addressing members of the community during the engagement, Temahlubi Nkambule said the project was intended to create opportunities for everyone in Lukhetseni by encouraging broad participation in tourism-related activities.
“This project is meant to develop everyone in the community,” she said. “Different tourists are attracted to different things — some love a home-stay experience, others are drawn to storytelling, while others seek out local craft.”
Nkambule said this diversity in visitor interests means community members can benefit in different ways, whether through storytelling, traditional food, local crafts, cultural performances or hospitality experiences rooted in the area’s heritage. She urged residents to begin identifying what they can offer, saying every member of the community has a role to play in making Lukhetseni an attractive cultural tourism destination.
Also speaking during the engagement, Teddy Ncamiso Dlamini, Coordinator of the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area (LTFCA) and the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), said the success of the initiative would depend largely on the level of commitment shown by the community.
“When communities are fully committed to a project like this, the community and ENTC together can achieve so much more,” said Dlamini.
He emphasised that strong collaboration between residents and implementing partners would be key to unlocking the full value of the initiative, not only in preserving heritage but also in creating long-term development opportunities for the area.
The project is expected to position Lukhetseni among communities that can use culture and heritage not only as a source of pride and identity, but also as a pathway to economic empowerment. Through the initiative, residents are expected to explore opportunities in cultural storytelling, craft production, home-stay experiences and other tourism-linked activities that showcase the uniqueness of the community.
Beyond promoting tourism, the project is also expected to strengthen the preservation of cultural heritage in Matsenjeni North Inkhundla, ensuring that local traditions, knowledge systems and community stories remain protected and relevant in modern development efforts.
For Lukhetseni, the introduction of the project marks the beginning of what could become a transformative journey — one that turns heritage into a practical driver of local growth, sustainable livelihoods and inclusive community development.
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