Small Grants, Big Impact - Strengthening Water Security and Climate Resilience at Simoyini

A deep, expanding donga cuts across the landscape at Simoyini community, kaPhunga, in Eswatini’s Shiselweni Region. With every rainy season, its steep, crumbling edges have threatened livestock, endangered children, and crept steadily closer to a nearby road.

Beyond these immediate risks, the donga reflects deeper environmental pressures affecting fragile watershed systems in the area. Increasingly intense rainfall, combined with degraded vegetation cover and unstable soils, has accelerated erosion, reduced the land’s ability to retain water, and weakened the resilience of surrounding ecosystems and infrastructure.

Over time, this degradation has contributed to the loss of fertile topsoil, declining land productivity, and growing pressure on already limited water resources.

Community-led Ecosystem Restoration in Action

Organised restoration efforts are now underway to stabilise the donga and protect surrounding ecosystems and infrastructure.

“We are working to close the donga using gabions and will plant trees to stabilise the soil and prevent further erosion,” explains Sive Nkambule, chairperson of the Simoyini Wetland Development Committee.

Gabions, wire mesh structures filled with stones, play a critical role in this process. They help slow water runoff, reduce soil erosion, and stabilise degraded land, supporting the recovery of surrounding ecosystems while protecting infrastructure from further damage.

The intervention at Simoyini is supported through the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP), implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), with technical support from the Africa Cooperative Action Trust (ACAT).

More than a funding mechanism, SGP provides catalytic climate finance that enables communities to implement practical, locally driven solutions to environmental challenges. 

Restoring Wetlands and Strengthening Water Systems

While land degradation was highly visible, water insecurity was an equally pressing challenge. Despite the presence of two wetlands, access to safe and reliable water remained limited.

Wetlands in the area serve as critical ecological infrastructure. They regulate water flow, support groundwater recharge, reduce erosion, and help buffer communities against drought and extreme rainfall. However, the Maculusini wetland had become degraded due to overuse and lack of protection, reducing its ability to perform these functions effectively.

The impact extended beyond households. At Matjana Primary School, which serves more than 200 learners, unreliable water access disrupted daily operations.

“Every day, learners walked nearly two kilometres to collect water from a rudimentary collection point within the wetland,” says Bonisile Matsebula, a member of the school committee. “The water was used for cooking meals, watering gardens, and meeting the school’s basic needs.”

Limited access to safe water placed additional pressure on the school, affecting sanitation, food preparation, and learning time.

For households – particularly women and girls – water collection consumed significant time and energy, reducing opportunities for schooling, productive activities, and income generation.

Partnerships Enabling Local Climate Adaptation

Through coordinated partnerships, the community has begun to address these challenges. With support from ACAT, Simoyini accessed USD 45,381 (over SZL700 000) in GEF-SGP funding to implement ecosystem restoration and water system improvements.

The project demonstrates how climate adaptation can be operationalised through collaboration between communities, grassroots organisations, government institutions, and global environmental financing mechanisms.

Residents worked collectively to rehabilitate and protect wetlands, install solar-powered water systems, and restore degraded land. At Maculusini wetland, spring protection measures and a solar-powered pump now supply water to two 5,000-litre tanks at Matjana Primary School, providing reliable water to more than 200 learners and 12 teachers.

“Having water at the school is a game changer. Learners can now stay in class and study without interruptions,” Bonisile Matsebula, a member of the school committee, explains.

Reliable water access has improved sanitation, reduced disruptions to learning, and strengthened the school’s overall functioning. A secondary water system now serves nearby households. With filtration systems, restored pipelines, and reinforced storage infrastructure, safe water is supplied to 29 households, benefiting over 170 people.

Emerging Livelihood Opportunities and Ecosystem Recovery

At Mgambeni sub-community, restoration efforts have focused on protecting and rehabilitating a second wetland. Fencing has reduced pressure on the ecosystem, and early signs of recovery are visible.

Indigenous grasses, including Lukhwane, are beginning to return – an indicator of improving ecological conditions. This recovery is also creating emerging livelihood opportunities. Women are starting to harvest the grass to produce mats and handicrafts, linking ecosystem restoration to income generation while promoting sustainable resource use.

While still at an early stage, these activities highlight the potential for restoration to support local livelihoods over time.

Strengthening Local Capacity and Stewardship

Beyond physical infrastructure, the initiative has strengthened local capacity for environmental management and climate adaptation.

With technical support from ACAT, community members have participated in restoration planning, wetland protection, and water system management. This has helped build practical knowledge, local organisation, and a stronger sense of ownership over natural resources.

Local structures, including community committees, are playing a growing role in maintaining infrastructure and protecting restored ecosystems – an essential factor for long-term sustainability.

Progress, Challenges, and the Path Forward

In total, more than 370 people at Simoyini are benefiting from improved water access and ongoing ecosystem restoration efforts. Degradation pressures are being reduced, water systems are becoming more reliable, and key environmental assets are gradually recovering.

However, restoration remains an ongoing process. Challenges such as heavy rains, equipment breakdowns, and incomplete rehabilitation of the donga highlight the complexity of ecosystem recovery.

The donga, covering approximately 0.65 hectares, has begun to stabilise, with gabions slowing erosion and additional materials secured for further work. Continued effort will be required to fully restore the area and protect surrounding land and infrastructure.

A Model for Community-based Climate Action

The experience at Simoyini demonstrates that climate adaptation is not only a policy priority but a practical, local process. Through relatively small-scale financing, strong community participation, and support from grassroots organisations, it is possible to restore ecosystems, strengthen water security, and build resilience to climate variability.

Importantly, the initiative is also building the capacity of the community to manage environmental challenges over the long term – reinforcing local stewardship and reducing dependence on external support. Rather than a completed transformation, Simoyini represents a growing example of how community-led ecosystem restoration, supported by catalytic financing and institutional partnerships, can contribute to sustainable and resilient rural development.