Africa-Press – Eswatini. A 17 year-old boy from Hosea, Mndeni Mkhonta, who was once abandoned by his father and forced to survive alone in the mountains, has shown significant recovery following intervention by Eswatini Red Cross Society volunteers and medical care provided by Silele Clinic.
Earlier this year, Red Cross volunteers discovered Mndeni living in isolation and in a state of severe illness. He had lost his mother at a young age and, with no one to care for him, had become malnourished and emotionally withdrawn. The volunteers immediately referred his case to Silele Clinic for urgent medical attention.
Medical staff diagnosed him with malnutrition, a condition that had already led to stunted growth. Recognizing the boy’s vulnerability, the clinic contacted his paternal uncle, Babe Mkhonta, and appealed for him to take the boy in.
Mkhonta said he felt a responsibility to care for Mndeni because he is family, and after discussions with his brother, he welcomed the boy into his home. He described Mndeni as calm and said they have been living peacefully together ever since.
Since then, Mndeni’s condition has greatly improved. He now receives regular check-ups, food assistance, and consistent support from the clinic and Red Cross volunteers. What was once a heartbreaking situation has turned into a story of healing, care, and family.
The story drew attention during a recent visit by an international delegation from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The team was led by Dr. Petra Khoury, Global Director of Health and Care, alongside Mr. Jason Peat from IFRC Geneva and Mr. Kopano Masilo from the Pretoria Cluster. The local delegation was headed by Mr. Danger Nhlabatsi, Secretary General of the Eswatini Red Cross Society.
During the emotional visit, Mkhonta expressed deep gratitude for the support his family received. “I never thought I would ever live to see you or this day even. You have been our help and yet you did not know us,” he said. “We are alive because you help us with medication and food. The Silele Clinic supports us in ways we cannot tell. This young boy has made a tremendous recovery.”
Dr. Khoury thanked Mkhonta for stepping in to care for his nephew, calling it a noble act of humanity and faith.
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