Photo credit: Water For People
While the country has made substantial progress in water supply, many water points remain non-functional and Malawi faces repeated floods, droughts, and cyclones.
Malawi is often known as ‘the warm heart of Africa’ for the kindness and friendliness of its people.
Malawi 
Photo credit: Water For People
Through our partnerships in Malawi, The One Foundation is strengthening access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) across Blantyre Rural, Chikwawa and Thyolo.
Working closely with local partners and authorities, we are investing in sustainable infrastructure and building the systems needed to deliver reliable services for communities over the long term.
In Thyolo, a hub for tea production, and in Chikwawa, known for sugar farming, our work extends beyond agricultural areas to support entire communities. By rehabilitating hundreds of water points, we are helping to provide thousands of people with access to safe, reliable water while strengthening resilience to environmental challenges.
In collaboration with district authorities, we are also improving sanitation in schools, strengthening WASH infrastructure to better withstand climate impacts, delivering hygiene education campaigns and piloting the restoration of degraded water catchments. Together, these efforts protect vital water sources, reduce vulnerability to flooding and erosion, and help communities build resilience for the future.
Our implementing partners in Malawi
Self Help Africa in Malawi is an international NGO working with rural communities to improve food security, strengthen WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) services, increase incomes, and build resilience to climate change. By supporting smallholder farmers – particularly women and young people – with sustainable agriculture, market access, and essential services, the organisation helps strengthen livelihoods and promote long-term self-reliance.
We are supporting Self Help Africa to repair community water pumps, strengthen school WASH services, and enhance climate resilience in the tea-growing district of Thyolo.
Fisherman’s Rest is a grassroots NGO based in rural Malawi that combines community development with sustainable projects, supporting local schools, maintaining water points, promoting environmental conservation, and empowering communities.
We are supporting Fisherman’s Rest to repair water points, train communities, and improve parts to strengthen local water access and management.
Water For People has been working in Malawi since 2000 to expand access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene by drilling and repairing water systems, supporting community‑managed water kiosks, training local teams, and promoting sustainable sanitation and school WASH services across multiple districts.
We are supporting Water For People to implement their Everyone Forever approach in Chikwawa district, Malawi, working with sugar farming communities to achieve complete, sustainable and affordable water and sanitation services across the district.
Baseflow is a Malawian social enterprise dedicated to sustaining groundwater resources for rural communities by strengthening water infrastructure, improving groundwater data and management systems, and empowering local stakeholders to secure reliable access to safe drinking water for the long term.
We are supporting Baseflow to strengthen water catchment management and monitoring, promote aquifer recharge, and introduce sustainable farming techniques for resilient water and food systems.
Photo credit: Bristol.Productions
The Impact in Malawi
- Over 3,000 water points repaired
- Over 60 new boreholes constructed
- 146 communities supported to build over 24,000 latrines in 3 T/A’s
- Gravity fed water schemes constructed, comprising of 107 taps, supplying water to 3 villages
- Over 200 public health campaigns delivered
