By Timothy Peter

Dedza, March 6, Mana: Welthungerhilfe (WHH), on Wednesday, handed over 60 boreholes to communities of Senior Chief Chauma in Dedza District as one way of ensuring Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in the area.

WHH Project Coordinator for Dedza, Khumbo Munthali, said 23 of the boreholes are newly constructed while 37 have been rehabilitated. 

He said: "As WHH, we thought it wise to help the district council with the drilling of new boreholes and rehabilitation of some non-functional boreholes in the area after noting the council's District Strategic Implementation Plan that aspires to reach 90 percent of people in the district with access to safe water by 2027."

Speaking after the handover ceremony, Senior Chief Chauma commended WHH for the project, saying people in his area will benefit a lot from the initiative.

"My area has been facing a lot of challenges due to water scarcity. Women have been walking long distances to fetch water from unsafe sources, which became a burden to their lives and families," he said. 

The Senior Chief then advised his subjects to avoid vandalizing the infrastructures.

In his remarks, District Water Development Officer for Dedza, Limbani Muhiwa, said the project will increase the population of people with access to safe water from 72 percent to 90 percent in the area. 

Lucy Elemiya from Chitukula Village under Group Village Head Biwi James, said the initiative will help them to prevent waterborne diseases including Cholera. 

WHH has used K300 million to drill and rehabilitate the boreholes that will benefit 16,120 people in the area.