Water for All: pedal pumps and wells for families

Dear Donors,
Malawi is known as “the warm heart of Africa” for the kindness and resilience of its people. Yet, behind this welcoming spirit lies a reality marked by deep structural challenges, where access to basic resources, such as clean water, is still far from guaranteed.

In recent years, Malawi has been increasingly affected by severe and recurring droughts, making it one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Water scarcity particularly impacts rural areas and informal settlements, where a large portion of the population lives. In these communities, the lack of safe and accessible water sources creates serious risks for health, hygiene and overall well-being.

For many families, water is not readily available. Long distances must be covered every day just to collect it, often forcing households to prioritize its use for drinking and cooking, leaving little or none for personal hygiene. This situation has far-reaching consequences: it affects children’s health, increases the spread of diseases and limits opportunities for education and development.

Data clearly reflects the severity of this crisis. Around 30% of households (approximately 7 million people) do not have access to basic drinking water. More than 80% rely on contaminated sources, exposing entire communities to waterborne diseases. Access to hygiene facilities is also extremely limited: 17% of the rural population and 7% of the urban population do not have any handwashing facilities at home and as many as 92% of people do not regularly practice handwashing with soap and water.

In this context, improving access to water is not only a matter of survival, but also a key step toward breaking the cycle of poverty. Clean water means better health, greater dignity, improved school attendance for children and more resilient communities.

For this reason, our project focuses on increasing access to water in the villages of the Mangochi district. We aim to install wells and promote the use of pedal water pumps. These pumps are essential in addressing food insecurity, enabling communities to cultivate their crops even during dry periods and strengthening agricultural production. At the same time, the construction of wells brings immediate benefits for public health, reducing the risk of diseases such as cholera and ensuring a safer and more reliable water supply for daily needs.

With your support, we can reach more communities, improve living conditions and help families build a healthier and more dignified future.

Together, we can turn access to water into an opportunity for growth, resilience and hope.