This is what we do
Our mission is to empower individuals and families through comprehensive services and positive community impact
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
Clean Water, Healthy Communities: Transforming Lives in Malawi
Our WASH program tackles Malawi’s urgent water, sanitation, and hygiene challenges by building wells, installing piped water systems, and promoting sustainable community-led solutions. Through education, infrastructure, and sanitation initiatives, we empower communities with the resources they need for better health, dignity, and a brighter future.
Number of people reached with clean water
Number of schools provided with latrines
Ensuring Access to Clean Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services
Water, sanitation, and hygiene remain significant challenges in Malawi, where only 67% of the population has access to basic improved drinking water. Poor infrastructure, water quality, and functionality of existing water points hinder reliable access to water. Furthermore, access to sanitation is a major issue, with only 26% of the Malawian population having access to basic sanitation services. Open defecation leads to deadly waterborne diseases like cholera and dysentery and many rural Malawians lack access to basic hygiene essentials, such as soap. Resources and knowledge are the main obstacles to overcoming these challenges.
Our WASH program aims to address these issues by constructing and maintaining water supply infrastructure, sanitation facilities, building community capacity to manage WASH services, and promoting good sanitation and hygiene practices through targeted campaigns.
Providing Access to Clean Water for all
About 20% of Malawians don’t have basic water supply services. That is 4.5 million people. Even those who do have access to water often walk two kilometers to fetch it. Most often this responsibility falls onto women and girls, leading to those girls losing the chance at an education and becoming trapped in a cycle of poverty.
Only about 6% of the population has access to improved sanitation facilities. Almost all children suffer complications from water-borne illnesses like diarrhea and cholera, leading to weight loss, stunting, and even death.
-
Drilling new wells and installing hand pumps
-
Repair and maintenance of water points through a network of Area Mechanics (AMs)
-
Construction of piped water supply systems
-
Building latrines and menstrual hygiene facilities in public institutions
-
Train and oversee Water Point Committees that care for their own water supply infrastructure
-
Run community WASH campaigns
-
Train communities in water treatment
-
Deliver health education
-
Provision of hand washing facilities and other hygiene promotion materials in public institutions
-
Construction of affordable community sanitation infrastructures through sanitation entrepreneurs
Our Solutions
Sustainable Community Water Management
Orant’s Water & Sanitation Program is nationally recognized. We are part of WESNET (Water Environmental Sanitation Network) and have contributed to developing national water and sanitation policies. We drill an average of 15 wells per year, and have brought water to more than 200 villages in the last 18 years!
Water Point Committees are groups of representatives within the community who are responsible for maintaining water wells and piped water projects . The Water Point Committees ensure that the wells remain in good working order. They raise funds to cover the cost of repairs and to further develop their local water infrastructure.
Piped Water Projects
In 2024 Orant completed its first piped water project in the Dowa District, delivering water to over 1,500 people in five villages and one school. Piped water projects accelerate attainment of Sustainable Development Goal number 6 by making sure that water is accessible closer to households.
Ultimately, Orant believes that developing modern water infrastructure is key for the development of Malawi and a long term investment in our communities.
Our Sanitation Interventions
Orant builds latrines and menstrual hygiene facilities at local schools to ensure students have clean, hygienic environments that reduce the risk of disease and provide adequate structure for learning to take place. Girl students are provided with facilities that enable them to stay in class rather than have to miss weeks of school due to menstruation.
We empower local entrepreneurs to improve sanitation by training them in making durable yet affordable toilets, promoting hygiene and better health outcomes in their communities. Our approach involves identifying and training interested local entrepreneurs, providing them with starter packs like cement, and providing them with ongoing support to establish and grow their toilet-making businesses. This enables them to work directly with community members, providing affordable toilets and promoting household sanitation while reducing the risk of water-borne diseases. This in turn ensures contribution to improved sanitation and hygiene practices, increased access to affordable toilets, economic empowerment for local entrepreneurs, and reduced risk of water-borne diseases.
Read More about our Water Projects
Read recent news and updates about our Water and Sanitation projects on the Orant Journal!
Empowering Change: How Do Sanitation Entrepreneurs Transform Community Health?
What are Sanitation Entrepreneurs and how do they help provide a healthier future for Malawi? Learn about how they are addressing local sanitation challenges by offering a variety of affordable products and services on the Orant Journal.
The Kabuluzi Piped Water Project
Orant is proud to announce the opening of The Kabuluzi Piped Water Project, which we are sharing with you today in this article from our partners Opulence Malawi. Take a look!
A Gift of Water to Kanono Village
Recently, through donations from our generous supporters, our WASH Program brought clean water to Kanono village, a community in our catchment area. Read our latest blog article to discover the profound impact this gift has had on people from Kanono…
Water Well Maintenance
At the heart of Orant’s programs and initiatives is sustainability, which is also one of our values. We believe in not only implementing programs or initiatives but also in creating long-lasting change that will continue to serve our community. In…
Commemorating World Water Day 2024
Every year on the 22nd of March, the world commemorates World Water Day as a way of raising awareness of major water-related issues and to inspire action to tackle the water and sanitation crisis. This year’s World Water Day is…
Ensuring WASH Program Sustainability Through Water Point Committees
We are excited to have trained the Chika Water Point Committee (WPC) as a way of ensuring sustainability. Read our latest blog to learn more about WPCs and the role they play.
The Challenge of Accessing Clean Water in Rural Malawi
We are excited to tell you about the new borehole our WASH program has drilled in Chika Village, T/A Njombwa in Kasungu. Read our latest blog to learn more about how this new borehole will change the lives of people…
Improving Health and Hygiene for Students in Malawi
Our Water and Sanitation program continues to make a significant difference in the lives of students in rural Malawi. Read our latest blog to learn about how we support hygiene initiatives in primary schools in Dowa, Malawi.
A Water Problem is a Life Problem: Interview with Yona Maloto
Yona Maloto has been a Water Field Assistant for Orant's Water & Sanitation Program since 2020. We interviewed him to learn more about his work.
Water is an Issue of Gender
Clean water is a gendered issue in Malawi. Women and girls bear the brunt of the water burden. Malita Chimbalame tells her story.
Orant Charities
Our Programs
Learn more about the other programs we offer for the people of Malawi.
