In rural Central Province, seasonal drought and receding water tables once forced women and children to walk up to five kilometres every morning in search of water from shallow, stagnant hand-dug pits.
The consequences were severe: children arrived late to school, exhausted before lessons started, and health clinics saw recurrent spikes in waterborne diarrhoea and dysentery.
Over its operational history, MCDA has drilled, rehabilitated, and equipped 233 community boreholes across Mumbwa, Shibuyunji, and Chibombo districts, serving approximately 50,000 rural residents.
To ensure that water remains clean even during seasonal disruptions, MCDA distributed over 30,000 water purification sachets to more than 5,000 vulnerable households.
Crucially, sustainability is built in from day one: MCDA trains local pump menders and community water committees, ensuring that spare parts and routine maintenance are managed by the villagers themselves.
“When clean water is available right within the village, our daughters do not miss morning classes and our children stay healthy.”