MBABANE:Thembinkosi Dlamini,the Executive Director of the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organizations(NGOs) has confirmed that, Save the Children Eswatini will close amid financial challenges.
The Executive Director was responding to this Swaziland News on Sunday evening after some sources told this publication that, employees of the organization were sent home as the entity struggles to operate.
It is still unclear if the collapse of the Save the Children Eswatini was triggered by mismanagement of donor funds, as this publication is still investigating and trying to secure audit reports.
The mismanagement of funds allegation was made by one of the employees and is currently a subject of a verification process by this journalist.
Reached for comments on Sunday evening,Save the Children Eswatini Director Dumsani Mnisi denied that the organization was closing, he said it was fully operational.
“Save the Children is fully operational,we are not closing”, said the Director.
But for the past few days, this publication has been investigating the circumstances surrounding the financial challenges within Save the Children, some employees who are at home were interviewed.
“The organization is closing amid financial challenges, donors are snubbing it amid allegations of mismanagement of funds”, said one of the employees.
But one Manager of an organization within the civil society told this publication that, in the absence of audited statements, it’s hard to conclude that Save the Children “is financially struggling because of mismanagement of funds”.
The Manager said,civil society organizations are currently facing financial challenges as donors are prioritizing other projects after the eruption of a war in Ukraine and Gaza.
“It’s easy for a person who doesn’t understand how donors operate to conclude that the Management misappropriated funds, that cannot be concluded without audited statements”, said the Manager who was asked to share an independent view of the situation at Save the Children.
Reached for comments on Sunday evening, Thembinkosi Dlamini,the CANGO Executive Director confirmed that, Save the Children Eswatini will soon close.
“We can confirm that Save the Children Eswatini will soon close and we are currently discussing and considering a transfer of some project that were under Save the Children to other organizations”, said the CANGO Director.
Save the Children Director Dumsani Mnisi.