The High Value Crop & Horticulture Project (HVCHP) is an agriculture commercialization initiative that aims at growing and exporting crops that are not only market-driven but compliant to international agriculture standards such as GLOBAL G.A.P. Funded by the European Union and implemented by ESWADE & NAMBoard, the project targets poverty alleviation that yields economic growth in the four regions of Eswatini namely Lubombo, Shiselweni, Manzini & Hhohho. Being in its foundational stages, the project has constructed 4 pack-houses in these regions at strategic points that make for ease-of-access particularly for the farmer. These pack-houses provide needed confidence in the efforts of the farmers as they allow for diversification and guaranteed quality of their produce.                                            Responding to GOAL #5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG); this piece takes a look at how women in Eswatini are utilizing the services of the HVCHP initiative to not only bridge the Gender Gap but further provide sustainable incomes for their own families. We take a particular look at women from the Gamula Community Garden in the Matsenjwa Chiefdom in Lubombo who have geared themselves to benefit from the recently completed Packhouse in Lavumisa.  
   The Gamula Garden is a community project of 38 women who have come together to practice commercial agriculture. The project started as a poverty alleviation initiative in 2011 with the assistance of ESWADE; USAID & IRD. The women grow beetroot; green pepper; tomatoes and occasionally, cabbages in a 2Ha field and sell their produce primarily through NAMBoard. Their number one challenge, they claim, has been the seemingly declining monetary value of their produce as a consequence of increased supply. Speaking to the project’s Assistant Secretary Make Malaza, she lamented on how the lack of storage facilities limited their choice of crops to grow.                             She however highlighted that “……hopefully all that will change now that there is a storage facility right next to our work and we look forward to the trainings by HVCHP that will provide us guidance on crops that bring in more income than what we are currently getting.” The Assistant Secretary however mentioned that they are currently learning from some of their farmers who attended the GLOBAL G.A.P trainings in Phumulamcashi Training Center on the standards required to be adhered to in pursuit of international markets. The women have also come together to revive their membership through continued monthly subscriptions and are in the process of reviewing and drafting a comprehensive constitution in readiness for full utilization of the Lavumisa packhouse.   While women from the Lubombo region gear-up to play their part in taking advantage of HVCHP’s services; others from the Manzini region are celebrating the rewards of their patience. The Mahlanya Market in this region is one of the busiest fruit & veggie markets in the country. Recently HVCHP invested a cold storage facility for the women vendors in this market. This was after research undertakings that show how much the market’s activity provides for the country’s economy. Necessary trainings as well as governance structuring was carried through to ensure proper management and maintenance of facility.  
Make Sindisiwe Dlamini, a market vendor in the area saw this as a ‘dream-come-true’ for the vendors as their losses would be greatly minimized and they would now be in a better position to buy more stock. Her words were touching as she narrated how much it pays to be patient in harsh situations. She thanked all parties involved in the setting-up of this facility and assured the HVCHP team that through the management trainings provided, the structure will remain sustainable.