Liyana follows a number of orphaned Swazi children as they develop a story under the guidance of South African author and activist Gcina Mhlope. Their narrative stars a fictional young girl, Liyana, as she embarks on a journey to rescue her younger twin brothers from kidnapping with her pet bull, and overcomes various challenges along the way. As the students develop their tale, the live action documentary is interspersed with animated scenes depicting Liyana's adventure.