KARONGA DIOCESE COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION WASH PROJECT CONDUCTS WATER SANITATION AND HYGIENE SENSITIZATION EXERCISES
By Noel Chatepa
The Karonga Diocese Community Transformation Project conducted vital Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sensitization exercises from 17th to 21st March 2025 in the communities of Jalawe (Rumphi) and Chankholombe (Karonga). The sensitization exercise aimed to educate and remind residents on the importance of maintaining proper sanitation and hygiene practices, especially during the rainy season when the risk of cholera outbreaks increases significantly.
Working in collaboration with government Health Surveillance Assistants (HSA), the sensitization exercises provided essential information about proper sanitation and hygiene practices that can be followed to prevent waterborne diseases. The sessions were not just informative but also engaging, featuring drama performances by local community groups that illustrated key messages in an entertaining manner.
Duncan Nyirenda, WASH Coordinator for the Karonga Diocese Community Transformation WASH project, emphasized the significance of these exercises. “As you know, this is the rainy season where there are increased cases of cholera,” he stated. “The exercise serves as a reminder to the community to follow sanitary and hygiene practices to prevent cholera.”
Community leaders also expressed their gratitude for the support from the Diocese. Moses Nyirenda, chairperson for Chankholombe Village Development Committee (VDC), highlighted how crucial these efforts have been for local residents. “The Diocese has helped us a lot as they have drilled boreholes within our community which has given us access to safe water,” he noted. “They continue to train and remind us of safe sanitary and hygiene practices.”
The Community Transformation Programme by Karonga Diocese is being implemented in Jalawe (Rumphi), Chankholombe (Karonga), and Kopakopa (Chitipa), with funding from Cross Catholic Outreach.