Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Liana Kakhobwe Chapota has commended Self Help Africa for installing a K60 million piped water system at Mtungwi in Senior Chief Chiwere in Dowa District.

The organisation implemented the project after seven people out of 288 died from cholera during the 2022/23 cholera outbreak in the country.

Chapota said Self Help Africa was complementing government’s efforts to provide potable water to its citizens.

“This is the area that was hit hard by cholera in 2022/23 because many people did not have potable water. But we are pleased to see that our partners are implementing this project,” she said.

Chapota urged the community to take care of the facilities

Self Help Africa regional manager Snowden Tomoka said the system has the capacity to hold 20 000 litres of water.

He said they decided to construct the water system to promote water, sanitation and hygiene interventions in the area following the cholera outbreak.

Said Tomoka: “We have been working in the district since 2013, providing access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities with support from Charity Water.

“So, when we learned that cholera hit Mtungwi, we decided to provide piped water to the communities.”

One of the beneficiaries, Chikondi Chiwiya from Mndola Village said most community members drank water from a nearby stream.

“That is why cholera hit us hard. We thank Self Help Africa for the project because we will now access safe water,” she said.

Chiwiya advised her fellow community members to observe hygiene practices to prevent another cholera outbreak.

The country witnessed its worst cholera outbreak in nearly 20 years from March 2022 to May 2023. The outbreak affected at least 58 730 people and killed over 1 759. 

The post Potable water crucialfor hygiene—Ministry first appeared on Nation Online.

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