In rural Malawi, 37% of households spend at least 30 minutes a day fetching drinking water. A majority of Malawians rely on unsafe drinking water drawn from streams, rivers, and unprotected springs. Chitipa District, in Malawi’s northernmost region, is characterized by high levels of poverty, food insecurity, poor sanitation, and limited access to clean water. The district recently experienced an outbreak of cholera caused by unclean drinking water. School attendance rates in Chitipa are low, particularly among adolescent girls who have limited access to hygiene facilities and supplies.

One Day’s Wages is partnering with SPRODETA to improve educational, health, and economic outcomes at four primary schools in Chitipa District. At each school, SPRODETA is repairing boreholes that offer students and community members a source of clean drinking water. Latrines and hand washing stations are being installed to improve hygiene. To address the unique needs of girls, mothers are learning to sew reusable menstrual pads so that girls can continue attending school while menstruating. In addition, students under the age of 10 are receiving a free daily meal at school so they can better focus on their studies. Finally, SPRODETA is training parents to create vertical gardens, the produce from which will support the school lunch programs. Ultimately, the goal is to improve school attendance rates alongside health outcomes among students.