For the first time, Malawian communities in the vicinity of Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve have access to reliable and safe drinking water.
By improving their access to water, the project supports livelihoods and strengthens the community’s desire to care for the protected area that it flows from, ensuring ongoing supply.
The President of Malawi, His Excellency Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, turned on the taps at the launch of the Nyika-Vwaza Gravity-Fed Piped Water Scheme, which supplies potable water to 18 000 people. Up to 33 000 Malawians are expected to gain access to safe drinking water in the next decade.
The water scheme has opened the floodgates for potential business opportunities within the area, bringing life to the local economy.
Malawi’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Dr Vera Kamtukule explained:
“We are not only providing water to households but even [to] schools, health centres and trading centres, so we are empowering and reinforcing businesses and communities [through] livelihoods.”
Water for the new scheme is sourced from the Runyina River in Nyika National Park and transported using gravity for 74 kilometres. Tap water is delivered to within 200 metres of households, significantly reducing the time and effort required to collect it.
Conservation without people is not conservation at all, said Prof. Andrew Nambota, Regional Manager: North for Peace Parks Foundation.
The project’s success is due to community involvement and partnerships with the German Federal Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development through KfW, the District Councils, and Peace Parks Foundation.
Read more about this project here.
