Project 2019-015

FUNDED AUGUST 1, 2019

Mtiti is a very poor community in the central region of Malawi with a population of 5,130 people. The area is known to have salty water due to poorly constructed boreholes, which have now been abandoned or have fallen into disrepair. The most common source of water for these people are hand dug shallow wells, which are full of deadly bacteria that causes sickness and disease. Those who collect water (primarily women and children) spend about 2 hours for each trip, which occurs in the morning or evening.  Water collected at the well is brown, murky, and highly contaminated. Since this is an agricultural community, time taken to fetch water takes away from time spent in the fields to produce and provide food and takes children out of school. The lack of clean water provides challenges in the schools as well. Children are asked to bring a 2-liter bottle of water to school for hygiene and cleaning,  which is difficult due to the scarcity of water. This requirement causes children to often be late for school, or not go to school at all.   Furthermore, young children are the most susceptible to water borne diseases and constant illnesses cause them to miss much school. 

This comprehensive water project will provide treated, safe water to five access points throughout the community, with one of the access points dedicated to the school.  It includes a borehole 50 meters deep, six solar panels that will power a submersible pump, a water treatment facility that will include a potable water chlorinator and a 10,000-liter tank.  Two miles of piping will connect the fresh, safe clean water to the five access points. Members of the community will also participate in a WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) curriculum.

COMPLETED APRIL 15, 2022

Malawi is affectionately known as the “Warm Heart of Africa” for its reputation of kindness and generosity.  However, Malawi is also one of the poorest countries in the world.  Throughout the country, many  water systems are either broken down or abandoned, leading to the country being designated as a “water-scarce nation.”

Mtiti is an isolated community located in the Central Region of Malawi.  There are an estimated 2,615 people there who had previously never had access to safe drinking water.  Water Mission installed a safe water system to serve the entire community.

After the installation, a farmer from Mtiti said that “Marriages have been strengthened because women do not wake up early, leaving their husbands home to fetch water.”

Today, Mtiti still has its challenges. The pump used in the well was stolen, and their leadership team is working with Water Mission Malawi team to reinstall the pump.

ONE-YEAR  UPDATE  JULY 21, 2023

Mtiti Community Mobilization

As you know, in 2022 the pump for Mtiti was stolen from the community’s well. Water Mission has been actively working with the District Council in the area to find a way to replace the pump and minimize the risk of this happening again in the future. During this process, the government agreed to drill a new borehole. The new well is closer to the community, which will help mitigate the risk of theft in the future. The well also has the yield capacity to provide safe water for even more people in the community.

Water Mission’s Malawi team is now working to not only replace the pump, but to upgrade the entire community system so that it can serve 1,500 additional people in Mtiti. While the pump theft was unfortunate and a discouraging setback for Mtiti, we are grateful for God’s provision, which is allowing us to use this opportunity to provide safe water for even more people.

The team in Malawi has been investing in the Mtiti community through community mobilizations and training to make sure that all people, processes, and systems are in place to maintain and sustain the system long-term and to make sure that the additional 1,500 users of the system can be onboarded well! I’ve attached one photo of a recent training session with leaders in Mtiti.

The physical work on the project is beginning this quarter and is slated for completion by the end of this year. I will send photos and an update once it is up and running so that you can celebrate with us!