Malawi’s leading pump repair and maintenance provider organization – Beyond Water, presented its post- PRM implementation strategy in Dowa district.
Beyond Water as a social enterprise, adopted a business approach focussing on efficiency and effectiveness to reverse decades of handpump non-functionality so that people in rural areas can enjoy access to reliable, safe water 24/7.
Presenting the Professionalized Repair and Maintenance ( PRM) project’s close out activities to the Dowa District (WASH) Coordinating Team (DCT) Beyond Water Impact and Business Monitoring Manager Henderson Kadammanja, said the project was being implemented in the areas of traditional authorities Kayembe and Chakhaza A in the district.MHRRC supports media tour on service delivery gaps in Dowa
Kadammanja said the project’s mission statement was to give rural Malawians sustainable access to safe water, improving their health, education and economic outcomes saying they work closely with the government and local partners to ensure alignment and maximum impact.
He said 74 percent of rural Malawians rely on a borehole as their primary water supply technology observing that around 41.5 percent of these improved water points are not functioning at any point in time. In the two T/As, Kayembe and Chakhaza A where the organization was implementing the PRM project, the functionality rate for boreholes was 71 percent at baseline whilst during the project period functionality increased up to 99%.Neef launches farm inputs loans in Dowa-Ntchisi
He said Community Based Management has resulted in limited revenue generation, poorly performing infrastructure, cycle of breakdown and reliance on external organizations, and that the current management models are reliant on volunteerism.
On project impact, Kadammanja said Professionalized Repair and Maintenance (PRM) project has reached out to 123,410 people and supported 7 Area Mechanics under the PRM programme in the areas of traditional authorities Kayembe and Chakhaza A in the district.Kamphangala pleads with government to add Dowa on MVAC Report
He said the project has lined up a number of post PRM implementation activities which include linking Area Mechanics with spare part shops ( engagement with shop owners), post- implementation assessments, programme implementation support , monitoring, supervision and most importantly supporting the District Water office to effectively track handpump functionality and area mechanics performance using robust mobile data collection systems designed by Beyond Water for easy rural water supply monitoring and management.SHA conducts motivation and barriers to hygiene study in Dowa
In his remarks, Dowa District Council’s Director of Planning and Development Phillimon Maseko advised Beyond Water to present the exit strategy of the project to the District executive committee (DEC) to enhance cooperation, transparency and accountability of the project.
