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Pheti and Chimphanga, North Malawi

"Safe for human consumption"

In the Mulyezi region none of the villages had access to drinking water. In Pheti alone six children died within half a year because of that deplorable situation. Two wells built by IPA stopped the dying.

"It was an extremely enjoyable, interesting, but also hard week", Janik wrote after his return from Soazza. Together with two leaders and five friends he had been working on the Alp de Crasteira, 1,400 meters above Soazza (in the South of Switzerland). 35 youngsters had put their names down for the environmental project 2021, but the village of Soazza can only offer accommodation for 20 people. Thanks to the flexibility of the authorities of the small mountain village in the Grisons and the financial support of the Lions Club Zimmerberg the possibility of a second place of action on the alp could be found. The students and their leaders had a tough time indeed. Very basic accommodation facilities, a hail storm on the first day, no hot water and no mobile reception. And the food was delivered by cable car. It was an adventurous week. But like their friends who at the same time looked after the chestnut groves in Soazza, they wanted to support the people in Pheti. It was their aim to be able to finance the construction of at least one well for the region of Mulyezi.

Visiting the mayor by helicopter

Although they had clearly reached their aim, there was certainly not enough money for a second well. A class at the regional school in Muri therefore supported the project with several fundraising activities. The amount they were still short of was finally contributed by the Lions Club Zimmerberg, so that in the end a second well for the villages of Chimphanga, Mwachilimba and Mjowa could be built. A total of 1,250 people in Pheti and its surroundings have now, at long last, access to clean water. "Safe for human consumption" the official report of the laboratory that had analysed the quality of the water said. Those were indeed comforting words; they stood for the end of the cases of death. To make this new situation permanent two water point committees were formed that have issued strict rules. Whoever does not pay the fees for water is banned from the use of the well. There are various penalties for offences, even for missing a meeting. Each family in turn has to keep the installation clean during one day.

In Mulyezi the world has changed a little to the better. And the youngsters will not easily forget the last week of their summer holiday on the alp. After the heavy storm on the first day the hiking trail into the valley was blocked up. So the group was flown down to Soazza by helicopter, where the mayor was already waiting for them. He offered both groups a drink before they started on their journey home to Zurich. It was obvious that everybody was utterly satisfied with the results of the environmental assignment.

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