By Catherine Chikopa

Thyolo, May 2, Mana: A long-standing water crisis in William Village, Thyolo, has finally been addressed, thanks to Justice Water, a charitable organization working through Youth With A Mission (YWAM) which has drilled a borehole in the village.

Speaking during the official handover ceremony on Monday, Project Manager Robert Dogo, reaffirmed the organization’s dedication to improving lives through clean water access.

“Clean water makes a huge difference. Children who drink safe water are less likely to suffer from waterborne diseases like diarrhea, which means they can focus on their education. Illness disrupts learning," said Dogo.

He further said that water scarcity also has social implications on women as they walk long distance looking for water.

“When women spend the entire day looking for water, it creates tension and frustration at home. It puts strain on relationships,” he added.

He also said that  community engagement is important noting that Justice Water works closely with churches and traditional leaders to build local support before implementing any project.

Representing Group Village Head William 2, Sub-Group Village Head Chidamtere expressed gratitude to Justice Water, noting that the borehole came at a critical time.

“My people were suffering, walking long distances just to fetch water. This development is a major transformation for our village,” she said.

One of the beneficiaries, Beatrice Kazombe, shared how the new water source has improved their daily lives.

“We used to wake up at 2 a.m. almost every day to search for water. Now, we can focus on our businesses, knowing there’s water at home. Our families will be more united. Before this borehole, our husbands didn’t trust us because we would spend the whole day looking for water,” she said.

Justice Water operates in Malawi, Togo, and Cambodia, targeting remote and underserved communities. In addition to drilling boreholes, the organization trains families and village leaders on water system management to ensure sustainability.

So far, it has drilled 22 boreholes across Thyolo, including in villages such as Juma, Tayali, Namalu, and William.