Water is Life Solutions Drills Boreholes to Provide Portable Drinking Water to Remote Communities
Water is Life Solutions intensifies borehole drilling to ensure access to clean water for communities in hard-to-reach areas.
LILONGWE, Malawi - In a concerted effort to ensure access to clean drinking water for people residing in remote areas, Water is Life Solutions, a key stakeholder in water provision for drinking and agricultural irrigation, has significantly intensified the drilling of boreholes, writes Draxon Maloya.
These initiatives aim to benefit communities surrounding the Nkhota-kota Game Reserve, as well as agriculture schemes in Machinga and Salima districts.
Kaipa Banda, the Director of Water is Life Solution (WILLS), responsible for drilling and maintaining boreholes around the Nkhota-kota Game Reserve, expressed the company's commitment to supporting community efforts in providing clean water and safeguarding water sources through tree planting in targeted project areas.
"For a long time, there has been chaos, particularly when community members encounter fierce wild animals, leading to injuries or even fatalities in some instances," stated Banda.
"We are drilling and maintaining boreholes in areas surrounding the Nkhota-kota Game Reserve, where wild animals have frequently wreaked havoc on community members."
Banda further revealed that each borehole serves over 300 people, indicating that more than 5,000 individuals have already benefited from the drilled boreholes.
The Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM) has partnered with Water is Life Solutions to rehabilitate existing boreholes and drill new ones in Nkhota-kota district.
This joint effort aims to protect wild animals while also mitigating the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera.
During the handover of some of the boreholes in the area of Traditional Authority Mphonde, Yassin Rashid Malandula, WESM's Dwangwa Branch Manager, emphasized the significance of the project in assisting communities surrounding the Nkhota-kota Wildlife Reserve.
These communities have faced challenges in accessing clean water from sources shared with wild animals.
The Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi, in collaboration with the BridgIT Water Foundation of Australia, is implementing the MK125 million project.
This initiative aims to improve water access, protect wildlife, and combat waterborne diseases in the region.
The drilling of boreholes by Water is Life Solutions plays a vital role in achieving these objectives and positively impacting the lives of the local communities.
Good that there is a maintenance contract for the boreholes. Often boreholes are provided but left to the community to repair. Neglect results in them becoming inoperational.