Families: 40 households across 4 villages
Water Committee: 4 women and 6 men

In Thukwi, the amount of water a family could collect depended on the season. During the rainy season, residents gathered around three buckets a day from Mzizi Stream. When summer arrived, that could fall to just one. For a farming community, the shortage made it difficult to balance caring for the household with tending the land.

The journey for water also took a toll on family health. Residents reported frequent cholera cases and visited the clinic three to four times a month. Reaching medical care required a journey of about three hours each way, adding time and expense to an already difficult situation.

The new 40-metre well is the community’s first. Residents report that their health has improved significantly and that they no longer need clinic visits for waterborne illnesses. With water now closer to home, families have more time to focus on daily responsibilities instead of managing the consequences of unsafe water.

Farming is one area where residents are putting that time to use. Mr. Lighton Changwe has planted bananas and tree seedlings, while other community members are growing vegetables and expanding their agricultural activities. Families are also considering small businesses to bring in additional income.

The change has been especially meaningful during the dry season, when women previously woke as early as midnight to fetch water. The exhausting routine sometimes led to mistrust and misunderstandings between husbands and wives. Residents now describe better health and improvements in family life as water becomes easier to obtain.

Children have more opportunity to attend school, too. Before the well, reported attendance was 30% for girls and 50% for boys at Khotekhote Full Primary School. Families hope this will improve as children can get ready and leave for school more reliably.

Four women and six men serve on the water committee. For some women, this is their first leadership opportunity, and they are pleased to have been trusted with the responsibility. Their upcoming Community-Based Management training will help prepare them to care for the well serving all four villages.