1 650 people to benefit from World Vision water
World Vision Malawi has announced plans to install a mechanised water system in group village head Mweniyumba in Traditional Authority Kyungu in Karonga District.
In an interview on Wednesday after introducing the project dubbed Lupembe-Mlare Church Water Project to Karonga District Executive Committee members, World Vision Malawi Karonga district programmes manager Hendrix Kalanje said his organisation is committed to improving access to safe water in the district.
He said: “Our survey in 2022 reported that 98.4 percent of the households in Lupembe-Mlare Area Programme had access to adequate potable water which was slightly above the nation’s average of 87.3
“However, the results are not evenly distributed as Mweniyumba Village, whose borehole serves 410 people, broke down due to overuse as four neighbouring villages with 1 240 people were also drinking from the same source.”
Kalanje said this has led women and children to walk five kilometres to access clean water, a distance 10 times greater than the recommended Malawi Water Policy of 500 metres from a water source.
Karonga district water, sanitation and hygiene coordinator Hastings Kaira said at least 76 percent of households in the district have access to improved water sources.
“The project will improve access to improved water sources as Mweniyumba community members drink water from shallow wells,” he said.
The project is supported by World Vision Canada to the tune of $35 000 (about K61 million).
