Malawi is among the world’s poorest countries, with over 50% of the population living in poverty and 20% living in extreme poverty. Malawi’s economy is heavily reliant on rain-fed agriculture, with a largely rural population. Most farmers depend on cultivating small plots by hand with little irrigation, making them vulnerable to droughts, floods, high winds and climate change. The result is widespread food and water insecurity, environmental degradation, and many people losing their livelihoods.

We will support a community to construct a sand dam – a sustainable rainwater harvesting solution that stores up to 40 million litres of water (which meets WHO drinking standards), providing people with year-round clean water. Unlike other water solutions, sand dams recharge groundwater levels and enable vegetation to regenerate. Combined with environmental protection measures, including tree planting, land degradation is reduced, increasing soil fertility so that farmers can grow more crops.