20/12/2023
Malawi has been experiencing a widespread cholera outbreak since March 2022 - the deadliest outbreak in the country's history. Cholera is caused by ingesting bacteria present in contaminated water or food. It is mainly linked to inadequate sanitation and insufficient access to safe drinking water. It is an extremely virulent disease which can spread rapidly, affecting both children and adults, and in its severe form can be fatal within hours if untreated.
Over the course of this year, we have been working hard to launch our most ambitious project yet! The construction of a water pump in a remote village in Malawi to help combat the spread of cholera. It has taken us the best part of this year to organise ourselves, find trusted partners, raise the money, and feel comfortable enough to get going. But, we are so happy to share that we started drilling this week and have now found a clean water source for a village in southern Malawi!!
This has definitely been a learning experience for our small team in how to operate construction projects from afar, but we are so thrilled that we have been able to provide this village and school with a safe access point. Many women and girls in rural areas can spend hours every day sourcing water for their families, and it can be fraught with danger as they walk long distances. Projects like this can be truly impactful for the people who live in this village.
The next step will to be to complete the construction of the hand pump and then educate the villagers on sanitation, and keeping the pump clean. For Avasara Foundation, we will take our learnings from this project and hopefully replicate this project in other villages in Malawi to bring water to more communities in 2024!