Chikumbu Village wants to drill a borehole to access clean water. The village currently drinks water from unclean water sources.

Community Problem: Residents of Chikumbu Village are drinking and cooking with water from unclean sources, such as shallow wells or waterways. This leads to illness and, in some cases, death, particularly among children under the age of 5. Women, in particular, are vulnerable in the absence of clean, nearby water sources. In our partner villages, women fetching water from sometimes distant, unsanitary sources have experienced domestic abuse for taking too long (husbands suspect infidelity), rape (when women venture into remote areas), and death from drowning in flooded rivers during the rainy season.

Community Solution: Dig a new borehole in Chikumbu 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 a vetted drilling company, with substantial experience in the area. The installation will take three days to complete. The company expects to reach water 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. Above ground, the borehole will include a standard metal pump mechanism, a cement foundation to protect the pump mechanism and a cement spillway to channel excess water away from the pump. 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. Chikumbu will contribute volunteer labor, materials, including bricks and sand, and about $300 in cash.

Partners: generous donors and Chikumbu Village, Zomba, Malawi

Outcome: clean water for the village