New Borehole Brings Clean Water to Malawi Primary School
The new borehole installed at the school will help reduce the water challenges the institution has been experiencing for a long time, officials said Wednesday.
BLANTYRE, Malawi— Water Wells for Africa has handed over a new borehole to Mlambe one Primary School in Lilangwe, an development expected to improve access to clean water and hygiene at the learning institution, writes Zonkey Kaziyenda.
The new borehole installed at the school will help reduce the water challenges the institution has been experiencing for a long time, officials said Wednesday.
"For a long time the learning institution has been facing a number of challenges due to shortage of potable water," said Melvis Mlenga, a teacher who spoke on behalf of the head teacher.
Mlenga said the school was encountering hygiene problems because it was difficult to clean classrooms and toilets due to water scarcity, posing health risks to students and staff. She said the lack of water also negatively impacted education as students had to travel long distances to find potable water to drink or use for school work.
"After using toilets, learners were walking long distances to find good water to wash their hands, causing them to miss lessons and affecting their performance," Mlenga said.
She said the new borehole installation is a "great relief" as it will eliminate the challenges and allow for proper hygiene, cleaning to prevent disease spread, and improving education.
Davis Richard Galero, an official from Water Wells for Africa in Malawi, said the organization implemented the borehole drilling project after noticing many rural primary schools face water problems facilitating the spread of waterborne diseases.
"Our organization is committed to installing boreholes in primary schools in Malawi so that we can reduce the water problem because Malawi is prone to waterborne diseases like cholera, and this affects education," Galero said.
TheK6.8 million borehole is expected to benefit over 500 students and villagers around the school, he added.