P.O. Box 635 Manhattan Beach, CA 90267 info@waterwellsforafrica.org +1.310.995.7079 (M-F, 9-5 PST)

Water Wells For Africa

Current Projects

Here are some of the projects we’re working on right now.

Some of these are in early stages of completion and others are almost done.

To help accelerate our work and get these completed you can donate here.

Mkwanda VillageMay 20, 2019Mkwanda Village, T/A Ngokwe, Machinga Mkwanda has 42 households or families. There are 7 other villages that utilize the current water source with a total of 87 households. When the new borehole is hopefully installed in this village area, 142 families are expected to benefit from it with a population of around 600 people. The next borehole from this village is 2.5 kms or 1.6 miles away. Following are negative aspects of their current situation: The current water source is too far and unsafe. During the dry season, people must step into the pond to draw the water. This year alone, 7 people have suffered from waterborne diarrhea. There was a cholera outbreak two years ago. Women skip farming due to long lines waiting for water. The need for water is a priority that results in low crop yields and continual slavery to poverty. When the new borehole is installed, there will be reduced poverty as women will have time to participate in farming and community development. There will be reduced diarrhea cases and greater health. Families will have more time together rather than women and young girls spending more of their time finding and collecting water. Water source for Mkwanda Village Elina, 60 year-old woman from Mkwanda, carries her bucket of dirty water...
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Mwinkawa VillageMay 20, 2019Mwinkawa Village, T/A Ngokwe, Machinga Mwinkawa has 200 households and 4 surrounding villages. In total, the 4 surrounding villages have households totaling 631. If we can raise the funds to install a well, it will benefit 831 families, serving around 4,000 people. This is too many people to utilize one water well. Our recommendation is to install a new water well for each cluster of about 700 people, so we will work on installing more in this area. The next borehole is at a distance of 2 kms or 1.2 miles away. Difficulties these villagers currently face: School children are going very late to school. Last year, 4 people suffered from cholera and 2 people died of it. More than 10 people have already experienced diarrhea this year. Due to the long wait at the water source, families have had some problems. 3 families were divorced due to issues pertaining to water as the husbands were suspecting their wives of going out with other men and only pretending that they were getting water. 30 year-old Bertha Champion drawing contaminated water...
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Khobwe VillageMay 20, 2019Khobwe Village, T/A Ngokwe, Machinga Khobwe has 57 families and is surrounded by 9 other villages with 100 households. If WWFA can raise the funds to install a water well here, there is a total of 157 households with a population of around 600 that would be expected to benefit from clean sustainable water. The next borehole is 1.5 kms or almost 1 mile away. The families of this area face the following issues: Most children get diarrhea and this causes class absenteeism. During this rainy season alone, there have been 40 waterborne diarrhea cases. During the dry season, they spend around 6 hours waiting for water and this makes women miss some community developmental works. They have killed several snakes at the water well. Waiting at the water hole plus the far distance to the school makes it impossible for young girls to attend school. 2 people did die approximately two years ago, due to diarrhea. Sick child...
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Ndambala VillageMay 13, 2019Ndambala Village, T/A Chikwewo. Ndambala has 47 households and there are seven other surrounding villages that draw from the current water well. Total number of families from the surrounding villages is 164. If the borehole is installed in this village, 211 families are going to benefit from it with a population of around 1,000 beneficiaries. The next borehole is at 5 kms or 3.1 miles away. Currently, the local people have to deal with the following issues: During the dry season, people do wait for about 3 hours at the current water source and because of this, most of the time women miss farming and school children miss classes and go late to school. During the rainy season, they have plenty of water but it is very unsafe as other waters and pollutants from the top soil is washed into their drinking water. Because of this, they have diarrhea and those affected are mostly children. Last year, three people suffered from cholera. Some years back, a chief lost his mother and sister in the same year due to diarrhea. Last year, one school girl was bitten by a snake as she was going early in the dark to fetch water before school. When the community is blessed with a water well, there is going to be reduced diarrhea cases. There will be good home hygiene practices and students are going to continue with their education, especially girls. Women collecting water at Ndambala Village water point...
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Thumba VillageMay 8, 2019Thumba Village, T/A Ngokwe, Machinga Thumba itself has 32 families and immediately surrounded by 7 villages with 54 families. We hope to be able to install a borehole. It would be expected to provide clean, safe and sustainable water to a total of 86 families of around 400 people. The nearest borehole is 3 km or 1.9 miles away. We learned the following by interviewing Thumba residents: They have a shallow pit as their current source of water. Of the 6 people we interviewed, 4 of them had diarrhea at that time. So far, 15 people have suffered from diarrhea this year. They share the water source with livestock and wild animals. Students sometimes don’t go to school due to lack of water or long wait at the water source. Sometimes families miss meals due to lack of water which can expose the children to malnutrition. Farming is also disturbed due to the same reasons above. During the dry season, they wait at the water source for approximately 5 hours. A new water well will bring clean water closer to the village and will be immediately accessible all day long....
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New Beginnings Secondary SchoolApril 2, 2019Blantyre School Water Tower Project We’re currently working on a water tower project for a secondary school in Malawi that has been without an adequate water supply for a long time. Due to their location, a deep water well is not possible. But with the guidance of local Malawian experts, we’re working on a water catchment and retaining system that will serve them for years to come! Read More Below Follow Our Progress Materials GatheredBricks, sand, and rocks are brought in for the construction of the water towers. 1Materials Gathered Digging & LevelingWorkers have dug the hole and begin to level in preparation of brick work and concrete. 2Digging & Leveling Underground Bricks LaidFinal underground bricks laid. 4Underground Bricks Laid Concrete PreparationUnderground bricks are leveled and prepped for concrete. 3Concrete Preparation Completed FoundationConcrete has been poured and the foundation is complete. 5Completed Foundation Above Ground BricksWorkers have begun the above ground brick work. 6Above Ground Bricks New Beginnings Secondary School – H2O Harvest for High School District: Blantyre, Malawi To support this project, please visit: https://waterwellsforafrica.org/give-school/ Background: New Beginnings Secondary School (NBSS) started its operations in 2004 in Blantyre, Malawi with 2 classes. Over the years, NBSS has developed both in students’ enrollment and infrastructure. The number of students has increased from 9 in 2004 to 270 in 2019, representing a 3000% increase. The students’ ages range from 14 years to 20 years; they are all high school students. Infrastructure-wise, NBSS has grown from two classroom blocks to having a new classroom block, a fence, and new students’ toilets. The Need: With the increase of student enrollment, NBSS is faced with an acute water supply challenge. They temporarily averted their problem with the available supply of water from Blantyre Water Board (BWB) which is the sole water supplier to Blantyre City. However, BWB has not been consistent in their supply of water. NBSS has had water shortages as long as three weeks. In such cases, NBSS has been hiring extra laborers to look around the city for water which creates a halt in the normal operations of the school. We at Water Wells for Africa (WWFA) funded the drilling of the borehole recently, but unfortunately, there was no water found. We tried drilling in more than one location to no avail. Hence, the on-campus solution: To harvest water and store it in tanks. The Cost: Phase One – water storage: $8,000 4 tanks, pipes and connectors, bricks, cement, wood, nails, and quarry dust, quarry stone, soft wire, reinforcement bars, poles, and more supplies; also transport and labor (builder, plumber). Phase Two – harvesting rain water: $5,000 5 tanks, pipes and connectors, bricks, cement, wood, nails, and more supplies; also transport and labor (builder, plumber). Expected Outcomes: Provide health and clean water to all students and staff. Drinking water. Hygiene: Washing of hands and other sanitary use. Toilets: NBSS has two flush toilets used by school staff. Gardening: The harvested water will be used to water vegetables. NBSS teaches a class on agriculture so this requires practical work of gardening, hence watering of the crops. For beautification of the campus, to water flower beds and lawn. Bricks: NBSS is still in the growing stage hence need to add blocks to increase learning space and expand enrollment. This is why there is need to mold bricks using the harvested water. Consistent Clean Water Source: Have constant water supply throughout the year, even in the dry seasons. The burden on our women (and hired laborers) to fetch water to and fro within the city will be completely relieved. Reduced Financial Costs: Costs incurred on purchased water will be drastically reduced since NBSS will have no-cost harvested water. Eliminated Opportunity Costs: Time will no longer be wasted due to school delays and other problems that are caused by the lack of water sources. Time will no longer be spent seeking out sources of clean water. Administrators will be able to focus on educational issues instead of water resource issues. School will not have to be closed due to lack of water. Your support is much-needed! Please visit our special donation page to contribute to this worthy cause. Computer Class in Progress ...
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