Families: 43
Water Committee: 4 men and 6 women

Before the water well was installed in 2014, families in Nsenga depended on the Chileka River. During the rainy season, the river could be dangerous even for adults. In the dry season, families dug into the riverbed to find water.

Women would leave home at 4 a.m. and return around 7 a.m. with just one bucket. Long lines at the river often led to fights, and families could collect no more than two buckets of water in a day. The time spent searching for water also caused tension at home, with husbands sometimes doubting their wives were away only to collect water.

The lack of clean water took a serious toll on health. Cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, and bilharzia were common, and families were visiting the clinic about three times a month. But the community says that changed with the well. During Malawi’s 2023 cholera epidemic, Nsenga had no cases of cholera, and residents now report no waterborne illnesses.

Today, families can collect four to seven buckets of water a day—or as much as they need. They can wash properly at home and no longer have to spend their mornings at the river. “Cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, bilharzia, all gone!” said Palibe.

Reliable water has also opened the door to greater food security and income. Families now have gardens and small businesses, giving them more opportunities to grow food and support their households.

For Olive, who was part of the original water committee, the well represents more than a decade of change. What began as a community searching for one bucket of water at a time has become a reliable source that continues to serve 43 families more than 12 years later.