Water for Life: Community Water Systems in Malawi

Children getting water at the new tap in their community. Photo: CSC

Christian Service Committee (CSC) of the Churches in Malawi

Clean water is essential to life. Some 500 households (about 2,500 people) in 10 rural villages in Malawi are gaining access to clean water, with the help of Church World Service and long-time partner the Christian Service Committee. CSC is drilling at least one new borehole per village, and rehabilitating at least two existing boreholes for every five villages in this southern African country. In rural Malawi, only 32 percent of the people have access to a safe water supply.

Village health and water committees are receiving training that helps them manage, maintain, and repair their community's new water systems. Along with assistance in developing water resources, the people in these rural villages benefit from other initiatives--learning about better hygiene, sanitation, nutrition, irrigated agricultural methods, vegetable-growing, the benefits of educating girl children, environmental conservation practices, and the prevention of HIV/AIDS.

The overarching goal of the water project in Malawi--operational since the formation of CSC in 1968--is to reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases, and the burden on women and girls, because they bear the burden of fetching water and assuring their family's health.

Support of Church World Service is helping to make programs like this possible.

Updated 3/21/2007

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