This is part of a five-year memorandum of understanding the two institutions signed last year, which among others, is aimed at developing a strategic plan to guide the implementation of Lilongwe River Catchment Area Management project.

Chairperson for Operations and Projects Committee at the water utility Lingalireni Mihowa believes the initiative will encourage the students to horn skills that are needed in the water sector.

She says as there is a huge demand of water in the city, LUANAR will help the board in mobilizing people in the protection of the river hence increasing water supply to Lilongwe residents.

“We are also looking at the sustainability of the sector and we think that there is no other place that we can invest better other than in those students that have taken interest in this sector,” she said.

She added, “We are encouraging them so that they can get into the industry and be able to improve the technologies that we are doing as Lilongwe Water Board after they graduate from college.”

The partnership between Lilongwe Water Board and LUANAR also seeks to execute activities aimed at rehabilitating degraded areas.

Deputy vice chancellor for LUANAR Dr Agnes Mwangwela said the partnership between the two institutions will enable the students appreciate what the water industry needs in its operations.

“When the university works with the industry, it means that the students will see the problems Lilongwe Water Board is facing and will come back to do research and find possible solutions to the problems,” she said.

One of the beneficiaries Dedricks Madise said he is confident that by working with Lilongwe Water Board, they will have skills that will help the country towards achieving the Malawi 2063 development agenda.