2020 was the year we reached half a million people and for the first time our annual income exceeded £1,000,000

We supported the construction & repair of 309 waterpoints in villages and health centres, reaching 142,036 people

In response to the Covid pandemic, together with our partners Village Water Zambia and ECHO, we maximised our impact by focusing efforts on water point repairs in larger communities across western Zambia, adding Covid hygiene and sanitation promotion and handwashing facilities with soap/bleach to our regular provision.

We recorded a 100% drop in diarrhoea and a 95.2% drop in eye infections in the communities we supported

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In Mozambique we invested in activities to help mitigate the Covid crisis in villages across Manica province. Our partners WATSAN also completed a solar water system and permanent latrine blocks for 7 de Abril school.

9,566 staff and pupils at 7 de Abril school will benefit from the new solar water system with latrine blocks

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Angelina was our 500,000th beneficiary!

We now have enough water for everything we need. It has made a great difference in our lives. Before collecting water was tiring and time-consuming. When I was a child, we didn’t have the possibility of going to school. Now, all my children go.“

Angelina lives in 25 de Junho Socel Community in Mozambique. 

Angelina and her daughter used to walk for over 45 minutes when they needed water. An old spring in the bush was the closest source to their home. 

A team of locally trained well drillers repaired a broken, unused water point in de Junho Socel  and taught the community how to look after it long term. 

800 pumps repaired across Manica province

Women and girls make long, arduous, journeys every day to collect heavy loads of water and firewood. When safe water is near their homes, they spend almost 40% less time walking, time they can spend working, in school or relaxing.

Reducing the need to boil water has saved an estimated 413,257 tonnes of CO2 emissions, equivalent to the annual energy used in 49,790 homes.

Zambia and Mozambique

For women and children having clean water nearby is the first step out of poverty. Overall health and nutrition of families improve significantly.

Girls in the classroom and women with more time in a day to start their own businesses or pursue their chosen occupations benefit everyone, everywhere.

Our local partners ensure that women share the leadership roles in water committees and that boys as well as girls take part in the menstrual health sessions to break down the stigma around this sensitive topic and to encourage support.

119,417 women now have new access to safe water in the communities we supported

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Rufaro Njopera works as the Finance officer for our Mozambican partner WATSAN, and she has also taken on the task of collecting stories, pictures and film clips for Village Water. We have been so impressed by her many talents:

Interview with Rufaro:

Where were you born and where did you spend your childhood?

I was born in Beira Mozambique and I spend most of my childhood in Zimbabwe. I was at a boarding school .

Did you see a lot of poverty growing up?

Yes, in primary school there were kids who came from a local community. They had donors who were paying their studies, but the funding only covered their school fees. So, most of the children came to school barefoot, with nothing to eat. Sometimes with no books and pens. I remember I had a few friends from the local community, one of them I even remember her name “Plaxedes” I would take extra pens, food to share during break time but it came to a point where my parents were questioning on the rate at which I was asking them for school supplies. As a child I could feel their struggles

What inspires you?

The ability I have, to exceed my potential and limits. The human potential is very underestimated in life. When one can see and determine the potential in him or her, he can achieve great results. So, in short, the potential which one has is my inspiration.

What/why did you study in university?

I studied Accounting at Africa University, I graduated with a bachelor’s in accounting honors degree.

I had a great interest in economics but growing up my father always told me that go for something that is challenging, that’s why I chose the accounting major .

You take some really beautiful images for Village Water. Tell us your process and any tips for taking photos while visiting communities.

Well, when taking pictures, I try to make sure that the person is not posing for the picture. I take as many pictures as possible when I am in the field.

But taking pictures doesn’t have a formula you need to be patient and wait for the right moment.

Do you have a favourite picture?

This is my favorite picture, I took it at Chianga community. The man standing behind the girl is the community leader. He was very emotional and happy because they finally had access to clean water in the community. The man in a black shirt, holding a red cap is Watsan’s Technician .

How have your parents influenced you?

Seeing them helping the less privileged and contributing a lot to the society has made me realize that I also need to help people and aim to bring a smile to their faces, and it has given me a caring character for the people.

Do you think there are enough women in WASH roles? How could we improve it?

There are not enough women in WASH roles. The team has been putting in a lot of efforts to make sure that there is women involvement in WASH roles. One of the ways is by making sure that at least two women are in the water committee that is responsible for the pump.

For 3 years we’ve supported training for small entrepreneurial teams in the arts of manual well construction in Zambia. In return for intensive practical, technical, and business skills’ training, along with materials and equipment, the teams construct a number of public water points and report back to us on their progress as they set out to work for themselves.

4 trained enterprise teams – and our first women candidates – have reached 3,334 people in 2020

Abraham Kazhila leads Milimo Enterprise. He trained in 2019 and has completed 75 boreholes, earning £16,000. He has bought a farm with land and all his children now go to school. He wants to help more people access safe water.

For our local partners, it’s not always easy to reach the most remote, rural communities. Obstacles are often minor and irritating, like constant punctures on bad roads, but in the rainy season these roads and bridges can be washed away.

Thanks to our amazing supporters we raised enough funds for 3 motorbikes to help WATSAN continue work despite heavy flooding.

This year we received a request for wellington boots! Not just for the mud, but, more dramatically to protect against snakes frequently hiding in the grass, ready to strike when vehicles are stranded in the mud!

The voices of those who take part in our projects make what we do so important. Lucas recounts how, at age 11, he rescued his mother from the jaws of a crocodile while she was washing clothes by the river.

Systems’ strengthening 

We are continuing our focus on systems’ change. Rather than funding activities in multiple areas we aim to reach 100% WASH coverage district by district.

We are currently supporting Nalolo District in Zambia to map the existing water and sanitation situation in villages, schools, health centres and markets. Local structures including the council, public & private companies, construction teams, pump minders, communities, and funders will then identify where they are best placed to help and work together to fill the gaps in provision. 

Our 2020 income increased by 32% on 2019

Despite many challenges, not least the Covid pandemic, we kept our projects running and our staff safe throughout 2020.  

Key successes include our strengthened partnership with CO2 Balance. We will be working with them for the next five years on a carbon emissions reduction programme in Mozambique and Zambia. We also secured our ninth consecutive grant from Guernsey Overseas Aid and Development Committee (OA&DC). 

We acknowledge the on-going assistance of The Waterloo Foundation, Millichope Foundation and Wilmslow Wells for Africa, among others, too many to mention. 

And finally, a huge thank you to every one of our supporters who have spread the Village Water word and helped us raise over £1 million in 2020!

Thank you

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