Dedication: In Memory of Othman M. Ali-Shamaa
Installation Date: May 13, 2024
Location:
Village: Laison
District: Blantyre
Country: Malawi
GPS Location: See bottom of page.
Stories / Quotes:
Families: 30 +2 villages
Water committee: 5 men and 5 women
For the people of Laison, the journey to find clean water was an exhausting and often dangerous daily ordeal. They used to rely on a hand-dug well filled with dirty water and had to walk hours each morning, often setting out before sunrise and not returning until midday. Since the installation of the new well, everything has changed. Waterborne diseases like cholera and diarrhea are now a thing of the past, and the community no longer makes frequent, grueling trips to a distant clinic.
With their newfound time, villagers can focus on family, farming, and entrepreneurial pursuits like brickmaking and charcoal production. The well has become a beacon for nearby villages, and many people are moving to Laison to be closer to this life-changing water source. Children no longer miss school to fetch water, and attendance has soared, giving the village a renewed hope for the future.