There is a sigh of relief for over 60 thousand people who live in rural communities around Katuli and Luwalika health facilities in Mangochi as Oxfam Malawi has facilitated the provisional of sustainable, clean and potable water  both in the facilities and communities.

The organization has repaired over 40 boreholes, distributed chlorine, water buckets and sensitizing people on myths about Cholera in the past 8 months it has been working on a Cholera response project in the area, according to it's project coordinator, Dilly Mwenda.

 

Mwenda  who was speaking Friday when the organization officially closed the initiative, said they are satisfied with what they have delivered, mainly on behavior change which a fully assessment will be conducted soon to measure impact.

 

He said when the organization was starting the interventions in the area with assistance from Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, it found a lot of wash challenges including myths on Cholera and use of chlorine.

 

"To some, Cholera was a staged disease by government, some thought chlorine was also another trap, water systems in the health facilities and communities were not  functioning properly, but through the project all are a different story," said Mwenda  

 

Katuli health center in-charge, Amidu Kachinga, they had challenges with their water supply system, which was also somehow affecting quality service delivery at the facility that has a catchment area of over 40 thousand people from Malawian and over 10 thousand across the border villages of Mozambique who also cross the border for services. 

 

"What Oxfam has done is very commendable as you know that we depend on water system which is sustainable to provide health services," said  kachinga.

 

He said in terms of portable water, they are safe through the rainy season and what they want will be other supplies like chlorine.

 

Mangochi district council vice chair person, Adams M'bwana, said as the council they are satisfied with what Oxfam has done as some organization cannot show if they meet their timeline.

 

"We are proud, because we are able to see what they have done, the boreholes in the communities and a water system at the hospital are things that can be easily verified," said M'bwana.