Water of Mercy
Katete School Well Project
Katete School Well Project
This well project has been fully funded through the generosity of a single family from Mary, Mother of Divine Grace Parish in Archdiocese of Chicago. It is built in honor of their dear friend Cecil Puvathingal who faces a grave illness. Please keep Cecil, his wife Grace, and their family in your prayers, and pray especially for Cecil's healing.
Location: Katete Girls School, Malawi Africa
Population: 1230 students and staff
Current Water Situation: The Katete Girls School Well Project is complete. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of a single family from Mary, Mother of Divine Grace Parish in the Archdiocese of Chicago, Katete School was fully funded on July 29, 2026, and the well was successfully drilled on August 18, 2026, striking plenty of water. A formal blessing with Father Petros is forthcoming. Until now, the 1,230 learners at Katete School had no water source at the school. Each day, students walked three kilometers to the nearest borehole, filled large buckets, and carried the heavy, full containers back to the school on their heads. The route was rough and hazardous, with many places to slip and fall, and this long, exhausting daily journey repeatedly interrupted lessons and took time that should have been spent learning. This well ends that walk for good, removing its dangers, the daily effort of hauling water, and the hours the journey stole from the classroom. This is the first time Katete School has ever had clean water on its own grounds. More than 1,230 learners, along with their teachers, now have safe water where they study. With proper care, the well should serve Katete School for approximately 75 years. Please note that some images on this page are courtesy of the "Katete Girls" sponsorship project.
Project Impact: Before this well was installed, the 1,230 learners at Katete School had no water source at the school. Each day, students walked three kilometers to the nearest borehole, filled large buckets, and carried the heavy, full containers back to the school on their heads. The route was rough and hazardous, with many places to slip and fall. With so many learners depending on a source so far away, this long and dangerous daily journey repeatedly interrupted lessons and took time that should have been spent learning. Today, more than 1,230 learners and their teachers have access to clean, safe drinking water directly on the school grounds. Students no longer need to make the long, hazardous three-kilometer walk to the nearest borehole or carry heavy buckets back on their heads, and the hours once lost to fetching water are returned to the classroom, supporting better attendance, health, and learning. Students and staff now have safe water where they study, year-round, without the daily risk of injury on the journey to collect it. With proper maintenance and care, this vital resource should serve Katete School for approximately 75 years.
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