By Vincent Gunde
Self Help Africa (SHA) has pledged to support the Malawi government in strengthening Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services in Dowa district.
The organization, along with other WASH players like World Vision and Red Cross, aims to operationalize the District Strategic Investment Plan (DSIP) to achieve sustainable and resilient WASH services by 2028.
SHA’s Assistant Director, Joseph Kiambuthi, explained that the DSIP is a product of a participatory process involving WASH access mapping in the district.
He said the plan aims to develop a shared vision for universal WASH access and identify steps to deliver this vision over the next five years.
Kiambuthi emphasized that WASH remains a key focus area for SHA, which merged with United Purpose in 2021 to scale up operations and reach 1.2 million Malawians annually.
He said SHA has allocated additional funds to support the recruitment of a Water Monitoring Assistant to drive plan implementation.
“Two Water Monitoring Assistants have already been integrated into the government payroll system to support WASH delivery.
“The DSIP seeks to contribute to Malawi’s national development agenda, as outlined in Vision 2063, by improving human capital development,” he said.
Dowa District Council Chairperson, Councilor Mayamiko Kambewa, acknowledged progress in improving water and sanitation, with 80% of the population having access to portable water and 2% achieving Open Defecation Free status.
Kambewa appealed to partners to expand WASH services across the district, ensuring equal access for all areas.
