Drilling promotes hygiene in schools

Education authorities at Wenya Traditional Authority in Chitipa have commended World Vision Malawi for drilling boreholes at Mpale and Nkhumano primary schools.

Speaking in an interview on Saturday, Nkhumano zone primary education advisor Joyce Chawinga Msowoya said the boreholes would improve hygiene and sanitation in the area.

She said that apart from learners and teachers, the surrounding community will also benefit from clean drinking water.

Msowoya said that previously, students would drink water from the Sekwa ​​River, about half a kilometer from the two schools.

She said: “Teachers were refusing to report to work in these schools due to water problems, while teenage girls were running away from classes when they were on their periods.

“Thus, these drills will improve the efficiency and performance of learners. Again, schools will introduce vegetable and fruit gardens.

Chifundo Kayira, a student at Mpale Primary School, said the borehole will improve personal hygiene at the school.

“The learners traveled long distances to fetch water from the Sekwa ​​River. The water was also not drinkable. Sometimes we showed up late for classes after recess,” she said.

Hendrix Kalanje, District Program Manager of World Vision Chitipa, said that under the water, sanitation and hygiene project, they dug a borehole in each of the schools to improve children’s health care under five years old. “The main activities included the drilling of four new boreholes which provide drinking water to around 1,455 people,” he said.