UNIMA Brings Water Closer to Chikwakwasu and Namangale Villages

Residents of Chikwakwasu Village under Traditional Authority (T/A) Mwambo and Namangale Village in the area of T/A Chikowi will no longer have to walk long distances in search of clean water for daily use. This follows the donation of two boreholes by the University of Malawi (UNIMA), through its Department of Geography and Earth Sciences in the School of Natural and Applied Sciences.

This intervention comes at a critical time, as both communities were previously exposed to serious health risks, including waterborne diseases such as cholera.

One of the boreholes has been installed at Ndago Primary School within Chikwakwasu Village, providing clean and safe water to both learners and surrounding households.

Speaking during the official handover ceremonies held on 11th October, 2025 in both locations, UNIMA Vice Chancellor, Professor Samson Sajidu, expressed his delight that the University was able to make a tangible contribution to the communities. He emphasized that the University’s role extends far beyond teaching.

“We always want people to realize that, as a university, we are not only concentrating on teaching and research, but we also have a mandate of community outreach. What we do in research and what we teach should be translated practically to communities in Malawi,” said Prof. Sajidu. “This project is an example of research being translated into practical solutions that improve lives.”

The Vice Chancellor further explained that the two sites also served as practical learning laboratories for students within the department. UNIMA students studying groundwater exploration and drilling had used the sites to conduct resistivity surveys and identify viable water sources, turning academic knowledge into real-world impact.

The project was made possible with support from the Water Resources Group, a U.S.-based organization.

Speaking on behalf of the Namangale community, Village Development Committee (VDC) Chairperson, Mary Kandaya, expressed deep gratitude to UNIMA and its partners. She explained that for many years, residents had endured numerous challenges due to the lack of clean water. Women and children, in particular, spent long hours walking to distant and often unsafe water points. As a result, children frequently arrived late for school, while prolonged absences of women from home often caused tension and misunderstandings within families. She described the new borehole as a life-changing development that would improve health, save time, and restore harmony in households.