Home Page - SWAZILAND EPILEPSY ORGANIZATION

Mission Statement.

Swaziland Epilepsy Golf Day 2013

  • Enhance awareness among members of the public on epilepsy
  • To reduce stigma associated with epilepsy and help integrate the people living with epilepsy into mainstream society
  • To establish safety nets (support mechanisms) for the people living with epilepsy
  • To integrate practical poverty reducing skills in community base programmes
  • To develop local capacity through training community members and care providers
  • To set up support groups for children and adults with epilepsy in constituencies


    Foundation

    The Swaziland Epilepsy Organization (SEO) is an organization advocating about the needs of the people living with epilepsy in Swaziland. The organization is the first of its kind in the country. It was formed in the year 2003, by the Patron, His Royal Highness Prince Bandzile and the national director, Mr. Mbusomuni Mahlalela.

    The motive of earthling such an organization was the fact that in Swaziland there was no medication or attention given to those either living with or affected by the condition. Individuals living with epilepsy in Swaziland had to consult with South African doctors. This posed a huge peril as majorities of the epilepsy patients live below poverty line. As a consequence, majority of these patients were not able to access any medical attention, therefore unable to receive any proper support or even manage the condition properly. This eventually led to patients either being mentally challenged or physically disabled.

    SEO finds its inspiration from doing development that is relevant and meaningful. It is good at promoting, supporting and protecting the rights of a child with epilepsy, expanding the freedom of choices of the child through recognizing the needs of the child’s guardian and building the capacity to the later to ensure they perform their roles effectively.

    Core Areas of Work

    SEO works itself in the following thematic areas;
    1. Education
    2. Child protection
    3. Empowerment
    4. Providing shelter
    5. Providing food
    6. Setting up epilepsy support groups
    7. Initiating sustainable income generating projects

    Problem Statement

    Currently in Swaziland 50 % of the population are children. Majorities of these children live below poverty line as they are orphans and are vulnerable, as a consequence they do not equal access to medical attention, food and clean water.

    If these children do not have access to proper healthcare, upon getting non- communicable diseases, like epilepsy which require proper management, they mind end up getting disabled in the long run. These continue to add up to individuals who solely depend on government for food, water, shelter, protection and basic education.

    The Swazi government is not able to access all these children from different rural areas, therefore they become a responsibility of the Non – government organizations which include the Swaziland Epilepsy Organization. Those affected by poverty and epilepsy which later leads to disabilities, both mental and physical, approach solely the SEO with high expectations of receiving help on the very same day.

    The main predicament with epilepsy patients is that some of them, if not managed properly, end up being mentally challenged therefore do not understand protocols that have to be met in order to gain access to that assistance.

    Benefactors

    The SEO currently focuses mainly on orphans and vulnerable. The organization protects the rights of the children affected by poverty, epilepsy and disabilities whereby it ensures that they have equal accessibility to health, education and food securities as normal children not affected by the condition.

    The organization further makes certain that adults too affected by the condition to gain access to suitable support required and empowerment so they could equipped to offer the relevant support to their children who have epilepsy

    The organization still intensifies the efforts in raising epilepsy awareness, therefore all individuals young and old interested in gaining knowledge about the condition are at liberty to do so

    The SEO recognizes and acknowledges the agony of the marginalized due to mental instability and physical disability as a consequence of epilepsy not managed properly. Therefore the organization does everything possible to make sure their voices are heard and their needs a reality in the society

    SEO empowers employers on how to cater for the needs of employees with epilepsy, teachers on how to support students affected by the condition and colleagues and fellow students on how to accept, tolerate and support their counterparts affected by the condition.

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