Women in Malawi's Dedza District Trained in Borehole Maintenance
The borehole maintenance training underscores efforts by authorities to increase women's participation in development initiatives across the country.
DEDZA, Malawi- In an effort to promote gender equality and community participation, women from Chakana Village in Dedza District received training this week on maintaining boreholes in their area, writes Edward Chikwanda.
The training, facilitated by Hananiah Wailesi, the assistant community water supply officer for Dedza District Council under the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, aimed to equip the women with skills to ensure boreholes remain functional.
"Committees in the area should make sure that the boreholes are well maintained," Wailesi said Thursday. "This training is a better platform in empowering the community."
However, Wailesi expressed concern over the tendency of some individuals to steal materials meant for borehole maintenance. He urged communities to keep the surroundings clean to ensure water safety.
Jelita Elias, one of the women who attended the training, welcomed the initiative, saying it challenged gender stereotypes that often exclude women from such development projects.
"In most cases, men are the ones who usually take part in these trainings because the nature of the work is taken as if it's only for men, which is a very bad misconception," Elias said.
"It's high time that women are also taking part in such training."
The borehole maintenance training underscores efforts by authorities to increase women's participation in development initiatives across the country.
Attendees were trained on basic repairs, preventive upkeep and security measures to safeguard the boreholes, which provide critical access to clean water for many rural communities in Malawi.