An interaction with an area mechanic
An interaction with an area mechanic, ADC members, water point committee and water users in TA Chamba in Machinga under TIMMS project by the visiting Mission from France led by Olivier
Category: Updates
Newcastle Disease Control project (NDCP) Progress in Nanthenje
Recently FDA evaluators took time to check on how the Newcastle Disease Control project (NDCP) is progressing. The image was captured during their interaction with a Vaccinators Sub Association in Nathenje
BASEDA Horning the skills of area mechanics
Horning the skills of area mechanics is vital when one wants to realise high functionality of water points. Recently with support from Welt Hunger Hilfe, BASEDA facilitated a refresher for Area mechanics in Dedza district. The refresher comprised of both theory and practice
BASEDA Promoting Access to Clean Water
At BASEDA we believe in continued learning and thriving for excellence hence recently we organized a refresher training in borehole maintenance for the Machinga district programme in order to contribute towards the universal access to safe water.
Since our establishment in 2004, we have pioneered and mastered the borehole repair and maintenance system in Malawi, under which district such as Mulanje, Thyolo, Phalombe, Chiradzulu, Zomba, Machinga and Balaka district have benefited from Tikonze Mjigo Maintenance Systems (TIMMS) project through capacity building of Area Mechanics, spare parts shop partners and district water office.
BASEDA has been operating a similar project in Ntcheu, Dedza and Lilongwe districts under a project called Madzi Mjigo. While the two projects are implemented with finding from InterAide, BASEDA also partners with Welthunger Hilfe in Dedza in a Dedza based System Strengthening Initiative (SSI) project.
BASEDA has also supported JTI Malawi in the capacity building of Area Mechanics in Mzimba district among others.
The Repair and maintenance model that BASEDA is using has proven to be the most reliable in increasing access to safe water in rural areas as the staffing levels in a number of our district water office falls below half and this affects backstopping support and rapid response by the district water office.
It is therefore our appeal that you partner with us not only to be part of this success story, but most importantly to save a life that could be lost to water-borne diseases such as cholera, which is currently affecting a number of districts in Malawi.
BASEDA is implementing a project called System Strengthening Initiative jointly with Welthunger Hilfe and WESNET with support from BMZ of Germany.
When Franklin Kwayera was told that he was picked to be one of the Borehole Area Mechanics for Traditional Authority Kachere in Dedza district, little did he know that he was on his way to become an accomplished water contractor.
Fast forward in 2022, he has been hired for two years by Total Land Care (TLC) to do some major rehabilitations of selected boreholes in areas where they are operating as a contractor. Total Land Care resolved to use the locally available skilled services of Kwayera in 2020 after noticing his capabilities and accomplishments and immediately gave him a contract to do major maintenance of a total of five (5) boreholes, earning a staggering amount of MK50,000 on each borehole.2020.
The organization has also engaged his services this year, giving him three (3) boreholes in the first phase of their work, earning a whooping MK180, 000 in the process.
In discharging his duties, he hires one extra person thereby creating employment and livelihood option in his community.
Franklin is one of the 52 Area Mechanics trained and equipped by BASEDA in Dedza district and he is also the Secretary for the district Area Mechanics Association.
BASEDA is implementing a project called System Strengthening Initiative jointly with Welthunger Hilfe and WESNET with support from BMZ of Germany.
Lameck thawani an area Mechanic groomed by BASEDA
Lameck Thawani kept finding it hard to say no to a client seeking that he rehabilitate a borehole whose works includes fishing out foreign debris. He recalls of turning down a number of contracts until an idea came up in 2004 for him of coming up with a set of debris fishing tools that would be used each time he has such nature of contracts. Using his welding skills he came up with a number of different tools that he piloted and saw that it was working perfectly well.
With support from Basic Services Development Agency (BASEDA), Lameck got the fishing tool named LaTha fishing tool and it got patented exactly 10 years later in 2014.
With this tool, he is able to rehabilitate abandoned boreholes. Since then, Lameck has been hired by several organizations to rehabilitate boreholes and these includes Welthunger Hilfe (WHH), United Purpose, African Parks Ltd, Water For People, VJ Contractors and many more and it has seen him work in districts such as Lilongwe, Dedza and Balaka in the centre and Mwanza, Phalombe, Balaka, Machinga, Mangochi, Chiradzulu, Blantyre, Mulanje and Zomba in the south. The tool is also used by other Area Mechanics in every district where BASEDA operates.
Lameck Thawani is an Area Mechanic trained by BASEDA and hails from T/A Mpama in Chiradzulu district.
Partner with us to make water universally accessible to all
BASEDA at a Learning Event at Golden Peacock Hotel
we took part in the learning event that was held at Golden Peacock Hotel in Blantyre where participants were taken through an analysis of the use of Area Mechanics in repair and maintenance of Rural Water sources . Here the Executive Director for the.organization, Ephraim Chiphodo Munyala was captured sharing a.moment with participants