Chembe Water Project is a UK registered charity (1114116). The project is located in Chembe Village, locally known as Cape Maclear, where around 14000 villagers live without a safe and clean drinking water supply.
In 2005 students from Glasgow University helped establish a pilot project which now successfully supplies water to 2000 of the most needy villagers. Traditionally, the people of the village have drawn their drinking water from the shore. However this has become contaminated and is no longer safe resulting in illness and high mortality especially amongst the children.
The future of Chembe Water Project is bright. Development planned for this coming summer (2007) when students from Glasgow University will return to Malawi to extend the project for a further 4000 people, including tap stands at the Primary School.
A feasibility study will be undertaken to investigate the expansion of the project to other, more remote, villages along the lake shore and also to research the possible use of renewable energy sources. A trustee of the charity is currently undertaking a PhD in Glasgow University researching Renewable Energy Solutions to Water Pumping in Developing Countries, with a specific focus on small scale projects in Malawi.
A Nursing student will be part of the group and she will prepare and deliver a Health Education pack, with a specific Water and Sanitation remit, to the Primary School. It is our belief that raising awareness in this way will greatly enhance the sustainability of the project.
It is imperative that we work together to help Malawi develop a sustainable clean water supply. With this in mind we are keen to share resources and co-operate with other similar organisations.
