Water

Importance

Access to clean drinking water is the single change that can impact a community the most, decreasing infection, disease and mortality rates. Access to clean water has been quoted to do more to increase human life span than any kind of drug or surgery in history.

In Malawi 1.7 million people have no access to safe water and 10 million are without a source that enables adequate sanitation, as a result, more than 1700 children die in Malawi every year.

We have installed three boreholes: two in the Mkunkhu community and one at Tilinanu Orphange.

There’s only ​a six-month​​ g​rowing season due to drought​, but with effective water-harvesting it can be 12-months. Using permaculture training, this sustainable farming method is integrated into our projects across education, enterprise and nutrition.

“Thousands have lived without love, not one without water” - W.H.Auden

The Challenge

In Mkunkhu, many children weren't attending school in the village because they had to walk long distances to fetch and carry water for their families. The soil surrounding the school was also poor and sandy, due to lack of water, deforestation and over-farming. 

The school had a 60% drop-out rate; 30% of children went to school without breakfast, whilst only 10% of pupils ate anything at all during a school day, and, during the ‘hungry season’, some children could eat as little as 1 meal in 4 days.

How we work

We have installed two boreholes at Mkunkhu Sustainable School; one for clean drinking water and one for drip irrigation.

We provide training in water harvesting for effective crop development through Sustainable Family Futures.

 

Looking Towards The Future

We will continue training the community how to us​e water ​more efficiently ​and harvest the rain more effectively. 

Impact

  • Every £1 invested in clean water is reported to lead to £8 in benefits (World Health Organisation)
  • Reduces infections from water borne diseases.
  • Reduces mortality rates which has a knock on effect of reduction in population growth
  • Saves people walking miles per day carrying water, increases crop yields and in turn food security
  • Reduces malaria, dengue and diseases transmitted by insect bites

 

Opportunities

  • £50 provides watering cans for farm workers to water
  • £500 can provide a water harvesting system for 1 hectare
  • £1,000 builds compost toilets at Mkunkhu School
  • £5000 digs a borehole
  • £15 000 provides an entire community with clean water

How you can get involved

We believe in partnerships and the power of connection. By working together and through creating opportunities which benefit individuals, organisations communities and influence global trends and policies we succeed in empowering communities in poverty.

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