Madam,

Kindly allow me to breathe under your well reputable newspaper.

I am a young liSwati, and I write this out of frustration, lived experience and deep concern for the future of our country. We are constantly told that there are no jobs and that we must create our own opportunities through entrepreneurship, but the truth on the ground is painful and it is being ignored.

Youth unemployment in Eswatini remains critically high, estimated between 40 per cent and 50 per cent. These are not just statistics they are real people: Graduates, skilled young minds sitting at home with no income, no opportunities and no clear path forward. Yet the response we keep receiving is: Start a business.

The question remains, how?

We are directed to the Youth Revolving Fund (RDF), where one must form a group of 10 people to qualify. Ten people with one vision, one level of discipline  and one shared goal? That is not empowerment, it is a setup for conflict and failure. Realistically, most of these groups collapse before they even begin to function.

Then come SME grants and financial institutions like FINCORP, the Youth Enterprise Revolving Fund, which demand up to 22 per cent upfront contribution. Let us be honest, where is a young graduate supposed to get that kind of money in the middle of a cost of living crisis? Food prices are rising, transport costs are increasing. Rent is unaffordable to those working in the Asian shops, supermarkets and other factories operating in the country, not only them, but almost every liSwati. Survival itself has become a daily struggle.

At the same time, wages remain painfully low, while expectations continue to rise. Society expects young people to look successful, live comfortably and support families, yet the economic system provides no real foundation for that life. This gap has created a dangerous culture: A growing dependence on debt just to maintain the illusion of progress.

We are now living in a debt culture, where young people borrow money not to invest, but to survive or worse, to chase the soft life illusion constantly promoted on social media. A lifestyle that does not reflect the reality of most emaSwati, yet pressures many into financial decisions that trap them even further.

On the outside, we present an image of stability, opportunity and progress. However, on the inside, the youth are struggling, suffocating under unemployment, rising costs and limited access to real opportunities. There is a clear disconnect between what is said and what is lived. Even more concerning is the silence from leadership. Those elected to represent the people seem detached from these realities, out of all the 59 tinkhundla, Members of Parliament, only a few seem to know why they were elected. The voices of young emaSwati are not being heard and their struggles are not being addressed with urgency.

If this continues, the consequences will not be theoretical, they will be visible. A frustrated nation, especially one dominated by unemployed youth, becomes vulnerable to crime, instability and social breakdown.

We are not asking for miracles. We are asking for honesty and realistic solutions.

If entrepreneurship is the way forward, then remove the barriers that make it inaccessible. Allow individuals to apply, reduce financial entry requirements and provide meaningful support.

Because right now, we are being told to build a future with nothing in our hands.

outh unemployment in Eswatini remains critically high, estimated between 40 per cent and 50 per cent.