In February 2012, a team of ten, headed by Fort Worth Sister Cities International board chair Brad Mahon, traveled to Mbabane, Swaziland to dedicate a community health and social center the group helped design and build.

Fort Worth Sister Cities was awarded a three-year, $115,000 grant by Sister Cities International funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to construct a community health center in Mbabane, Swaziland, Fort Worth’s sister city, as part of the Africa Urban Poverty Alleviation Program.

Fort Worth was one of 28 cities to receive funding for the center after a competitive process of all U.S. sister cities organizations with African partners. “To actually be there for the dedication and to see the finished product was very rewarding,” said Brad Mahon. “There are many people we need to thank for helping make this possible including Freese & Nichols who helped with the initial design, and individuals too numerous to mention,” continued Mahon. The goal of the health center is to improve the health and wellbeing of people in the Nkwalini Zone of Mbabane. The clinic will improve accessibility of health and social services to a community of over 1,500 people providing access to immunization and HIV/AIDS counselling, as well as food and nutrition for orphaned and vulnerable children. “This project has been a labor of love for all of us. We know the people of Swaziland and we wanted to help where it was most needed,” said Carlo Capua, past chair of the Mbabane committee.   For more information, please contact Mae Ferguson, President/CEO at 817/632-7104 or mae@fwsistercities.org.