Mwanga Village wants to drill a borehole to provide clean water to village residents. They are currently drinking from unclean water sources.

Community Problem: There is no accessible clean water source for rural residents of Mwanga Village. This leads to illness and, in some cases, death, particularly among children under the age of 5. Residents currently fetch water for drinking and cooking from dirty wells or waterways like streams or rivers. Women, in particular, are vulnerable in the absence of clean, nearby water sources. In the rural sections of Mwanga, women often ask their husbands to fetch water using their bicycles, from a borehole located several kilometers away, in another village. The men usually resist. Some husbands abandon their wives over the perceived indignity. Under these conditions, wives are left with no choice but to fetch water from nearby, unsanitary sources.

Community Solution: Dig a new borehole in Mwanga Village. The borehole location was chosen by a village project committee, acting on behalf of the entire village. The site is publicly accessible. Construction will be done by EZ Borehole Drillers, a company located in Blantyre, with substantial experience in the area. The installation will take three days to complete. It is expected that water will be reached at about 45 meters, but the wells will be drilled to depths of about 60 meters, if necessary. Before drilling, a hydro-geographical assessment using electrical measurements will be conducted to find the depth of the underlying aquifer. The borehole will be guaranteed for one year by EZ Borehole Drillers. Above ground, the boreholes will include a standard metal pump mechanism, a cement foundation to protect the pump mechanism, a cement spillway to direct water into a nearby vegetable garden, and a clothes washing station. Funds will be used to pay for the skilled labor as well as for the materials that cannot be found locally, such as piping, fixtures and fittings, and concrete. Communities will contribute volunteer labor, materials, including bricks and sand, and about $400 in cash.

Partners: Water Charity & National Peace Corps Association.

Outcome: clean water for the village