For 65-year-oldKetie Mbalu of Group Village Headman Poya in Traditional Authority Chitera, Chiradzulu District, access to clean water has become a daily struggle that dictates every aspect of her life.
Between June and December 2025, she says she was barely able to tend to her small farming activities or her tomato business at Mbulumbuzi Market. Instead, her days began with long walks, sometimes over five hours, to fetch water from a neighboring village.
Living with her two young grandchildren, Mbalu says what should be a basic necessity has turned into an exhausting routine that forces her to sacrifice both her livelihood and dignity.
“Some people vandalised all our four boreholes. We hear they sell the spare parts in some major markets in Blantyre. This left us with no choice but to scramble for water at a borehole in the neighbouring village,” Mbalu said.
Mbalu adds that many women and girls in the area have been forced to rely on unsafe water sources such as shallow wells and streams.
Community members say repeated breakdowns and vandalism of water points have left them vulnerable despite ongoing repair efforts.
Founder and Managing Director of Pacific Limited, Faisal Aboo, says the company entered the water sector in 2015 after observing widespread rural water shortages affecting productivity and livelihoods.
“As a company we were compelled to embark on this journey in 2015 after realising how most rural communities were struggling to access clean water which affected their productivity,” said Aboo.
He says the company has since repaired over 9,000 boreholes across Malawi, including in Chiradzulu District.
The development according to community member, Linly Kuswedyo, expressed a sigh of relief on the rehabilitation of boreholes saying water challenges affect women and children.
She said for instance, her children used to report late for classes because she was out early looking for water.
Kuswedyo recalls this left the children with no one to prepare them for school.
According to Chiradzulu District Water Development Officer, MacPherson Kuseli, the district currently has a potable water coverage level of 97.4 percent, as 385,772 out of the 395,953 have access to clean water.
While hailing the initiative by Pacific Limited, Kuseli, called for concerted efforts among stakeholders to protect water infrastructures for sustainability.
He also appealed to the company to work with the District Council as a Policy Holder for technical oversight and supervision.
However, he also called for stronger community participation in protecting water infrastructure to ensure sustainability.
At national level, Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha has previously acknowledged Pacific Limited’s contribution to Malawi’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector during the 2026–2027 national budget presentation.
He noted that private sector participation continues to complement government efforts in expanding access to clean water.
This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 6, which promotes clean water and sanitation for all, as well as Malawi’s long-term development blueprint, MW2063, which prioritizes universal access to safe water and hygiene services at household and community level.
WASH Advocate, Willies Mwandira, commended the initiative saying it will increase availability of clean water for improved sanitation in the district. Mwandira further appealed to communities to mobilise fund for maintaining the boreholes on their own.
Pacific Limited operates in multiple sectors including property development, construction and tourism, alongside its involvement in water infrastructure rehabilitation.
