Championing business approach to water, sanitation and hygiene

June 2, 2011
By Nation Online

Water for People Malawi, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in the water and sanitation sector, has devised a new approach to deal with water, sanitation and hygiene challenges facing the country. The NGO identifies local service providers to train them on the right technologies, develop business skills, financial management and business plans in dealing with water and sanitation issues. Our business reporter CHIKONDI CHIYEMBEKEZA caught up with the organisation’s country director Kate Harawa to unravel the concept.

Tell us about yourself.

I am Kate Harawa, the country director for Water for People Malawi. I am an environmental specialist by profession; I studied environmental sciences at the University of Malawi, Polytechnic. I was born in Mulanje. My father was a civil servant working with the Ministry of Agriculture and my mother was a primary school teacher. I grew up in a family of eight children—four boys and four girls. My parents, being civil servants, were moving around Malawi, transferred from one place to another. We ended up at a certain time living in Mangochi. By then, many children in Mangochi and people that were growing up there didn’t have much value for education and my father decided to send girls to boarding schools. I was sent to Namulenga Boarding Primary School in Mulanje and thereafter went to St Mary’s Secondary School before going to the Polytechnic.