Safe water access is an essential resource at a learning institution. In Phalombe, before United Purpose’s intervention, learners at Magazi Primary school would travel 700 meters to collect water to drink, clean the classrooms and toilets and to wash hands.

“We used to spend more time on collecting water, as a result we would have less time for classes, causing us to not do so  well in class”  said Eliza Ngwelete, a learner at Mangazi primary school.

Recognising the effects that the lack of water access at the school had on the learners’ education, the head teacher presented the matter to the District Education Office (DEO) in Phalombe. The DEO then carried out an assessment of the situation at the school and thereafter approached United Purpose for support. Following discussions with the DEO and the school on how they can address the issue, United Purpose organized and supported a learning visit to Kandasana Primary School in Ntcheu, a school which uses a rain-water harvesting system, to understand how the system works and how it would mitigate their water access issues.

The Head teacher, together with Parent Teachers Association (PTA) at Mangazi Primary School, organized the mobilization of local resources such as sand, bricks and quarry stones from the community members, whilst United Purpose provided the rest of the materials needed to construct the rain water harvesting system.  Local masons from Mangazi village then carried out the construction work and shortly after, the rainwater harvesting system was constructed at the school. 

The rainwater harvesing system that was installed at Mangazi primary school stores up to 500 liters of water, providing water for the learners throughout the rainy season. To supplement the water source during the dry season, a borehole close by was rehabilitated, providing learners with year-round safe water access.

Since the construction of the rainwater harvesting system at Mangazi Primary School, there has been an evident improvement of pass rate of learners at the school.

“Before the construction of the rain water harvesting system in January 2017, total attendance was 1,537. After the construction of the rain water harvesting system in November in 2017, the total attendance is now at 1,668” said the head teacher of Mangazi Primary school.

The construction of the rain water harvesting tank has also increased time for learners to be in class which has resulted in improved pass rate of the learners.

“In 2016, 50 boys and 25 girls were selected to secondary schools, but since the construction of the rain water harvesting system, 57 boys and 30 girls were selected to secondary schools. We believe this is because the learners now have more time in the classroom to concentrate on their education, instead of than fetching water,” added the head teacher.

 “We are very grateful to United Purpose for the support they rendered by constructing the rain water harvesting system, and we would like to scale this to all schools in Phalombe” said Hendrix Likeke, the District Education Manager for Phalombe.