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Manzi ndi moyo

Your gift is a lifeline for a whole village.

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350 Boreholes Goal: 500
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World Water Day 2025

Help Unlock $100,000 in Matching Funds to deliver water to 10,000 people.

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What is Makolekole?

Makolekole is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving access to clean water for people living in the Luangwa Valley region of Zambia. By providing this foundational resource, we empower people to strengthen their communities and realize their potential.

We work with communities in the Luangwa Valley to bring clean, safe water closer to home. By drilling simple, durable boreholes and pump systems and ensuring residents are equipped to use and maintain them, we establish a water source that will be reliable for years to come. Our work is done in partnership with the local leaders who bring crucial knowledge of their communities’ needs to the conversation.

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Why Makolekole?

Think globally. Act locally. Simple, and It still makes sense.

Globally, 2 billion people continue to lack access to clean and safe water, and In rural Zambia, 42% of households lack access to a safe water source. We can’t solve the problem globally, but realized we could do so locally.

The areas served by Makolekole were previously neglected due to the difficulty of the drilling conditions, the remoteness, and the challenging alluvial geology, which can only be drilled with specialized equipment.

Although larger NGOs that use more traditional rigs for drilling are making headway to improve overall WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) in many parts of Zambia, very rural and hard-to-reach locations, such as the villages in the Luangwa Valley, have not been targeted for support. Without an operation such as Makolekole, led by locals who care deeply about their community and are equipped with a lightweight, easy-to-transport rig operated by a local team of experienced drillers, these more remote villages might never have access to water.

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Impact

We have installed over 300 of the 500 boreholes and pump systems we set out to complete in 2015. When added to what was previously in place, 200,000 people of the Luangwa Valley, where we work and live, will have access to clean, safe water close to home. An accomplishment that lays the groundwork for the people we serve to improve their health, educational prospects, and community resilience for generations to come.

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300

We broke a record in 2023 and completed 45 boreholes. The faster we raise the funds, the sooner we reach our goal of 500.

200,000

By the time we complete the project, more than 200,000 people in the region will have access to clean, safe water source.

30

Schools and clinics with boreholes

Impact of Clean Water

Clean, safe water is a linchpin issue. From healthcare to education for women, everything depends on it.

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Nutritious Food

Villages with water systems can keep livestock, grow produce for their consumption, and enhance the economy.

Safer Daily Life

People without access to a safely managed water supply are vulnerable to dangerous water-borne illnesses

Girls in School

Particularly for girls, the need to travel long distances to collect water each day can limit their freedom to pursue an education.

Healthy Active Kids

A reliable source of clean water frees up an enormous amount of time to pursue other goals and have more fun!

What is a borehole

- why not wells?

You’ve probably seen images of dirty, dried-up wells funded by well-meaning donors but installed by operators who do sub-par work. Sadly, it is the residents of the village who suffer the most in these situations. Simply put, wells are not a viable solution in the areas where we work because the depth of wells is insufficient for sustainability and safety.

The Luangwa Valley is situated upon an alluvial plain, which means that by drilling down to 100 feet, we can tap clean, clear, safe water that will never dry up. Combined with a low-tech, easy-to-maintain pump system, a village can have water for generations.

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Life Journey of a Borehole

To ensure the sustainability of a borehole, Makolekole follows a process that involves all stakeholders.

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Application processed – After receiving an application for a borehole from a village, Gid and Adrian visit the village and evaluate suitability. This step includes meetings with the village chief to ensure a water committee is established.
Coordinate with local government water authorities – Apply for permission to drill with the Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA), which can take up to one week.
Borehole drilling and pump installation – two to four days of drilling, which includes testing and pump installation and construction of pump base.
Water, sanitation and hygiene education – WASH handbooks are provided to the water committee, ensuring all villagers comply with WASH best practices.
Ownership of the water system is turned over to village council – The water committee decides on a small usage fee to ensure the sustainability of pump.
Ongoing maintenance and support – A “pump mender” is nearby should a repair be necessary. All parts are available for a subsidized rate, ensuring all villages can maintain their water system.
Application processed – After receiving an application for a borehole from a village, Gid and Adrian visit the village and evaluate suitability. This step includes meetings with the village chief to ensure a water committee is established.
Coordinate with local government water authorities – Apply for permission to drill with the Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA), which can take up to one week.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Water, sanitation and hygiene education – WASH handbooks are provided to the water committee, ensuring all villagers comply with WASH best practices.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ongoing maintenance and support – A “pump mender” is nearby should a repair be necessary. All parts are available for a subsidized rate, ensuring all villages can maintain their water system.

Join the Makolekole Family.

Help us change the world..one village at a time.

Sponsor a Borehole

A $6,500 individual, family, or corporate sponsorship provides a borehole and pump system for an entire village, school, or health clinic.

$6,500

Team Up for Borehole

A great way to raise $6,500 is through teamwork! Many hands make light work – everyone contributing toward a common goal allows a team to sponsor a specific village.

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Chip in for a Borehole

Every dollar counts when raising funds for boreholes, and no amount is too small.

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