Nkolokoti-Kachere Water Users a model—Bande
Minister of Mines John Bande has described the Nkolokoti-Kachere Water Users Association in Blantyre as a model of as many as nine water users at it employs 85 people and has 73 water kiosks.
Bande made the remarks at Makhetha on Saturday where he was guest of honour when the Nkolokoti-Kachere Water Users Association donated school uniforms to eight primary schools, assorted drugs to Makhetha Clinic, and various walking and hearing aids to persons with disabilities.
The Nkolokoti-Kachere Water Users Association made the donation from proceeds of selling water.
“That is the way it should be done. Organisations should give back to the people they serve. We are happy as a community to generate our own resources and later help the underprivileged,” said Bande who is also the member of Parliament for Blantyre City East Constituency.
Sheikh Jafali Kawinga, president of the Blantyre Urban Water Users Board, said the Nkolokoti-Kachere Water Users Association has built additional five kiosks after the initial support from the European Union (EU), EIB and government, implemented by Blantyre Water Board (BWB) and Water for People.
He added that the Nkolokoti-Kachere Water Users Association is currently building own offices expected to cost about K6 million (about $15 000).
According to the most recent Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report by Unicef and WHO, 95 percent of people in urban areas and 80 percent in rural areas have access to safe water.
Access to sanitation is much lower, with 49 percent of urban and 51 percent of rural dwellers using improved sanitation facilities.
