Kachipapa Borehole Repair
Reported by: Lonnie Khomo, Project Officer, Malawi Water Project Team
The sun rose gently on 15 May 2025 as we arrived in Kachipapa community to repair their borehole, which had not been working for seven months. Kachipapa consists of five villages: Taulo, Kandiyado, Chaleka, and Tchereni, covering a total of 162 households. The community expressed deep gratitude to the Malawi Water Project for restoring their access to safe water.
During our visit, I spoke with Rose Andsen, a 43-year-old woman living in the area. Rose was born in 1983 and is married to Gravin Paul, aged 45. They have five children, though only three—Paul (18), Marita (12), and Chisomo (1)—currently live at home. The other two are married.
Despite all the hardship, Rose welcomed the conversation and spoke honestly about the difficult time they faced while the borehole was broken. She used to fetch water from a nearby river, even when it was flooded, putting her life at risk. During the dry season, she had to walk 9 kilometers to find water, leaving early in the morning and returning in the late afternoon.
The water scarcity caused outbreaks of cholera, diarrhea, skin infections, and dysentery. Her children missed school, especially in the dry season, and many women were waking up at 3 a.m. to search for water—something that disrupted the lives of families and their ability to farm or do business. Now, with the borehole working again, Rose says the situation has greatly improved and the family feels relief and joy.
We also visited the river where villagers used to collect water. I found women and children still drawing water there, and some were washing utensils while animals walked nearby. The conditions were unsafe. It reminded me how important clean water access is. People deserve to live in health and dignity. At the river, I also met Joice Mapepa, Easther Lazaro, and Chrisy Henry, who echoed Rose’s concerns. While grateful for the repair, they said one borehole is not enough for such a large population. They also requested Biosand Filters and help from a health advisor to improve hygiene. We were joined on this visit by our guests from Canada, Karen and Jerry, who witnessed the impact firsthand.
“We used to wake up at 3 a.m. to find water. I would walk 9 kilometers just to bring a little back home. My children were missing school, and we were falling sick all the time. But now that the borehole is working, we are living with peace and hope again.”
— Rose Andsen, Kachipapa Village
