THAMISONI VILLAGE, MALAWI
IN PROGRESS
STATUS
PEOPLE IN SERVICE AREA
DOLLARS FUNDED
SEE MAP
FUNDED SEPTEMBER 6, 2023
This village is located in the eastern part of Thyolo District, Malawi. In 2017 the village head of Thamisoni heard how there was a farming method that was helping people to feed their families. He came to meet Charles and requested that a team come to his village and conduct FGW traiing for them. Farming God’s Way is an effective, no-till farming method that incorporates discipleship groups called GLGs (God’s Love Groups) discipleship groups.
CURRENT CONDITIONS
When they began to work in the village, they came to learn that all the families in this village traveled a far distance to one river to fetch drinking water. This is the woman’s job and they go on foot. Besides carrying water, they must carry their little babies and take their small children. Other villages [also] depend on this river for their water.
The women dig shallow wells along the sides of the river where they draw the water from. The people here go very far for water. They walk 7-13 km to get to the river. This water source is shared with animals. Plus, it’s a seasonal river and dries up to a degree during dry season and water-related disease worsens. Children are also expected to go for water and they fail to go to school because it’s just too much to do both. The ladies have much pain because of the long periods of time carrying water.
Currently, Malawi is experiencing a serious and deadly cholera outbreak in the nation, one of the worst in its history. As of August, [there have been] approximately 59,000 reported cases and 1,770 deaths. The Republic of Malawi Ministry of Health provides a daily update for reported cholera cases and as of August a 3% death rate of reported cases. This disease can be avoided and stopped by providing access to safe, clean water.
The major diseases here that are causing illness and death include cholera, bilharzia (schistosomiasis,) and dysentery. Besides getting sick from drinking the dirty water, some die.
TESTIMONY
I am one of the leaders of Farming God’s way in this area. I have brought you here to see the water source for our village. We are using this river as our source of water for our families, but the problem we are facing is that this water is causing us many diseases like cholera,
bilharzia, and dysentery, and many people in our community have lost their lives because of these diseases. These waters are not good anymore. We are sharing the same waters with animals, and people who are living on the top area of the river are taking the opportunity to wash their clothes and kitchen materials using the same waters with when comes here we are using and drinking in our homes. We have been finding many dead things laying in the river banks where we are digging out small wells. This is still giving us more danger of sicknesses and deaths which are happening in our community.
So we are asking you if it is possible as the Lord provides to consider us by giving us at least one borehole in our community so that diseases and deaths like these will be reduced and healed. We are asking this in God’s favor. Amen. Thank you.
OUR EXPERIENCE IN MALAWI
Our ministry partner Charles Mithowa is the main director for these well projects and [he and his team] have completed many. These are very reliable partners and we have had excellent success in our relationship with them to date. Heaven’s Family sister ministry, Farming God’s Way, has been working with Charles for some years now. The farming program is changing lives of poor farmers by helping them raise more food and teaching discipleship. The government of Malawi has recognized the success of our Farming God’s Way program with these partners. We require ‘before’ marker photos where the well will be drilled. We collect pertinent details that describe the need, collect completion photos, reports and testimonies. The driller will be the same as long as they keep doing good work. They have been very accommodating.
MAINTENANCE AND FUTURE REPAIR
God’s Love Groups, discipleship groups in place for our Farming God’s Way ministry, will direct some of the management, in partnership with the village. The beneficiaries will contribute a small amount to pay for maintenance. Both the GLG teams and community authorities shall manage the property for permanent use by the community.
PROJECT COSTS AND TIMELINE
Your generous donation of $3,500 will bring a deep borehole well and a hand pump to this village. All of your funds will be used for materials and labor. It is expected that the project will be completed in September/October, 2023.
FUTURE IMPACT
Providing clean water will change their lives as they will have a clean water source that is in their village vs. such a far distance away. They will have water to bathe with and cook with. The kids will be able to go to school instead of spending long hours fetching water. Their health will improve. The physical pain will be lessened for many of the women. They will have water year-round and will not have to worry about dry season. It will show the love of God for them.
FGW is the physical ministry of growing food, there is also the discipleship component, GLGs (God’s Love Groups) of FGW. This has helped the people to learn to work together and to follow the Lord more closely. The meetings are regular, the Bible is studied, they pray, and the whole community is built up. The program also increases dignity and purpose, and provides them with success, which is another benefit for these very poor people.
All projects are made possible by World Changers.