For three years, Thekerani Rural Health Centre in Thyolo operated without a reliable water supply, leaving over 40,000 people, including vulnerable expectant mothers, in difficult conditions.
Women who gave birth had to walk over a kilometre just to find water, relying on boreholes or even nearby rivers.
“My mother, who was my guardian, had to search for water and could only manage to bring one bucket. For a woman who has just given birth, that is not enough,” recalled Umbysie Wayenda, 35, who has delivered three children at the facility.
The situation also compromised hygiene at the health centre, which delivers around five babies daily.
“In some cases, babies were born with fever due to poor sanitation. Our equipment also became difficult to clean properly, which is risky in a hospital environment,” said James Thuthuwa, the facility in-charge.
That reality has now changed, thanks to a rain-water harvesting and solar-powered treatment system installed by the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), in collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI).
“Malawi has natural resources like sunlight and seasonal rains that often go to waste. So, after discussions with RCSI, we created a system to make use of these resources,” said Christabel Kambala, a lecturer in Environmental and Public Health at MUBAS.
The system, installed in February 2024 under the Surg-Water Project, channels rainwater into two 20,000-litre tanks, purifies it using solar energy, and delivers clean water directly to the maternity ward.
“This system has reduced the burden on our women, who used to walk long distances for water, especially during delivery,” said Group Village Head Khozombe, who also vowed to safeguard the equipment.
Wayenda, who has experienced care both before and after the system was introduced, sees a remarkable difference.
“Before, the lack of water put our health at risk. Now, it’s easier to stay clean and safe after giving birth,” she said.
MUBAS says it is continuing to test the water and plans to localise the system for wider use across Malawi, offering hope to more rural health facilities in need.
