Water of Mercy
Mazanga Village Well Project
Mazanga Village Well Project
Location: Mazanga Village, Malawi Africa
Population: 378
Current Water Situation: The Mazanga Village Well Project is complete. Thanks to the generosity of 6 donors, Mazanga Village was fully funded on August 24, 2026, six days after the project was posted. A first-time donor, J.A., a parishioner of St. Paul the Apostle Parish in the Archdiocese of Chicago, gave 85% of the $5,500 goal in a single gift. The well was successfully drilled on September 6, 2026, striking water in abundance, and the drilling team worked well into the night to finish the borehole. The pump and concrete pad followed, and the whole project was completed in just three days. A formal blessing with Father Petros is forthcoming. This is the first time Mazanga Village has ever had access to fresh, clean water. All 378 residents now have access to clean, safe drinking water directly in their village. A local water committee will be established for maintenance and management of the well. With proper care, the well should serve the community for approximately 75 years.
Project Impact: Before this well was installed, the 378 residents of Mazanga Village had no access to safe drinking water. Every drop the village used came from a dambo, a shallow, marshy wetland where murky water collected among mud and grass. Residents had to crouch at the water's edge to scoop the brown, sediment-filled water into buckets and basins, then carry the heavy containers home on a long journey back to the village. That burden fell most heavily on the women, who made the trip day after day. The water was shared with livestock, and this area was prone to cholera and other waterborne diseases, presenting severe health risks to the entire community. Today, all 378 people have access to clean, safe drinking water directly in their village. Families no longer need to collect contaminated water from a marshy dambo shared with livestock, and the women no longer carry every container of water home along that route, gaining back the time and the strength that journey cost them. The risk of cholera and other waterborne diseases has been dramatically reduced, and families now have reliable, year-round access to clean water, breaking the cycle of disease caused by their former contaminated water source. With proper maintenance and management by the community water committee, this vital resource should serve Mazanga Village for approximately 75 years.
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