Project 2019-024

Mpheto Village is a rural village in southern Malawi. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world and much of its population do not have access to clean, safe water. The villagers currently collect their water from a river, which exists in a grazing area for domestic animals which makes the water in the river highly contaminated.   The river dries up during the dry season and when that happens, the villagers “hand dig” shallow wells to get what water they can.   The walk to this water source, usually made by women and children, is about 4 miles, which takes an hour and ½ to two hours (maybe longer if carrying a container filled with water).  Southern Malawi seems to have been “forgotten” by the government. There has been no attempt to drill bore holes or to otherwise bring clean water to this area of Malawi.

The common water-borne diseases include cholera and dysentery which results in vomiting and diarrhea, which dehydrates the body.  These afflictions kill several people each year, usually the most vulnerable health-wise (e.g. often infants and older people).

A woman describes her experience. “For all these years I have used unclean, colorful, stinking and bad water. My family and I have experienced so many difficulties, suffering from various water-borne illnesses.  My father and mother died from cholera when I was just entered into marriage. Three of my children died at ages 10, six and four years due to the same diseases and the opening of the bowels. But in spite of all such suffering, we kept on using and drinking the same waters since we had no anywhere to go to get good waters”.

complete november 22, 2019

This project is complete. The community of Mpheto is now drinking clean, safe water. The photos show how happy the people are – celebrating to receive a new deep well.

The new well is a great blessing and is bringing healing to this community. The people speak about how much sickness they previously suffered, but that now there has been a significant improvement in their overall health…..due entirely to having clean water to drink!

The people of the community are so excited to have water now readily available to them instead of continually battling sickness caused by drinking water from hand-dug wells and seasonal river water sources. No more walking long distances to fetch water, hours spent searching for water, chronic thirst… all these horrible things are now in the past.  Time previously spent searching for water has been freed up. Children can go to school, water is there for all of their household needs – cooking, bathing, laundry, and to irrigate gardens and livestock. The impact on this community has been stunning!

Testimonies from two villagers (in their own words):

Falesi Kugoma: “I was down at my bed for three weeks now, suffering from opening of bowels. A have suffered greatly and my body was so weak ready to die. I thank God that He has raised me up again so that I can witnessing the great miracle of this borehole which will be working wonderful and serving a great number of people in our community. We have lost many brothers and sisters due to the crisis of using bad and dirty water. Water contaminated with bad things from our rivers and streams has damaged our people and has caused a great disaster. We have been crying weekly as we were seeing our brothers and sisters dying with waterborne diseases. Now we are singing great praise as we are celebrating the great victory from our God by providing us this great gift of a borehole through you. I am drinking with happiness. May the Lord bless you!” {NOTE – Falesi is featured in Image # 1 attached}

Mpheto Village Leader: Today my community is healed. I can not imagine what great excitement this community has on this day. We were nobodies since this land came into being, and our problem was without alternative, but through you now our land is healed.

We were in great problems, traveling long distances fetching for water which were not even good but deadly. Our children, women, and old people were victims of cholera, dysentery, opening bowels etc. We have had tough times regarding clean water but nobody intervened the situation. We were using colorful and stinky waters from these hand dug wells not because we loved it, but because we had nowhere to go. People were dying from water borne diseases but to no alternative. But through you we have been healed. The distances which were covered to get this bad water are now converted into reasonable distances to get good safe and clean waters. People were so abused in every way possible without anywhere to address their problem especially women and young girls who were charged, and wounded as they were trying to fetch waters. Our children were failing to go to school because of delayed by fetching waters. We are praising and thanking God for you! Thank you! {NOTE- The Village Leader is wearing the green shirt in Image # 2 attached}