Mchinji District Council’s K269 million gravity-fed water project has brought joy to communities in four traditional authorities (T/As) whose people had no access to clean water.
The project, under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (Gesd), will benefit people in T/As Zulu, Nyoka, Mkanda and Mduwa.
District. | Vincent Khonje, Mana
For years, families in these areas walked long distances daily to fetch water from unsafe sources such as shallow wells, streams and rivers.
At Kangwere in T/A Zulu, women expressed joy when the council commissioned water taps.
In an interview, one of the women Mervis Banda said women were getting water far from the village, which limited the household chores they could do.
“We used to wake up around 4am just to beat the queue at the nearest river, and even then, the water was not safe. Now we can get clean water right in our village,” she said.
Banda said access to clean water will enhance personal hygiene in the area.
On his part, Mchinji acting district water development officer Paswell Chiumia said access to clean water is crucial for personal and community development.
“The system eliminates the need to have boreholes, thereby saving money. We will only need to connect taps to the system,” he said.
Mchinji district commissioner Lucia Chidalengwa said the project was important for people of the district.
“Water is life and through Gesd, we have been able to give life and health back to these communities. This project is not just about infrastructure but about restoring dignity and hope,” she said.
The World Bank-funded Gesd project, which supports local councils to deliver people-centred development, has also supported the construction of market shelters, girls’ hostels, bridges and sports facilities in the district.
