Welcome to Wells for Zoë, a small Irish humanitarian organisation. At present we are involved in wells and pumps for safe drinking water, rainwater harvesting, and small dams for water storage, in four rural areas of Malawi (see map). Set up in 2005, Wells for Zoë concentrates on low cost, small scale, appropriate and sustainable water technology. Our aims are to:

• Establish a competence in, well drilling and pump installation
• Promote water storage in its many forms, by advising on simple technologies, in association with local Government staff, and providing low cost credit (or grants, when there is no other way forward)
• facilitate the local manufacture of the pumps, by building and equipping a small factory at SJOG, Mzuzu
• train the local people, men and women, some of whom are clients of St. John of God's, in the manufacture and maintenance of the pumps
• Promote the use of alternative irrigation methods and a better range of crops
• Empower people to help themselves, by using sample gardens in lands provided by the Chiefs
• organise all projects within a local village management structure

Wells are hand dug so far and fitted with a Canzee or CanLift hand pump. Run-off water will be stored in stabilised soil tanks and/or accumulated behind simple dams. It is our intention while remaining sensitive to cultural constraints, to work with both men and women. The women in the local communities will be the driving force of our operation as they have the responsibility for the provision of water.

Water: We believe that clean safe drinking water is an important starting point for all development. Firstly, it is a basic need of any healthy community. Secondly, its local availability will mean that the women and children will not have to get up before dawn to search for and carry water for miles. A local water supply will benefit the community as the children can attend school and the women will have more time to tend and irrigate the much-needed crops, along with all their many other tasks.

In Malawi the storage of water for dry season irrigation will mean that they can grow a second crop, become food secure and hopefully sell some of the additional yield to fund their children's education amongst other things.

Sharing: Experience has taught us that we need to learn from local praxis and examine and build on local knowledge. Sharing our experiences and any technologies will be at the heart of our operation. We feel that the “one step at a time approach” of Professor Richard Carter is an excellent way to go. Without phone, fax or even post, innovation and learning travel slowly even between villages, so passing on even the simplest innovations and “best practice” will be very important to us. With the help of Cranfield University, we hope to constantly and carefully analyse and improve our operation. We are convinced of the importance of promoting appropriate technology that the local user, can buy in to, maintain and develop.

Partners: It is our hope to form partnerships with many groups working in the same areas.

Professor Richard Carter has suggested two areas of collaboration between Cranfield University, Silsoe, Bedford, UK and Wells for Zoe . Cranfield M.Sc. projects will identify a student or students who will work on his or her thesis on some aspect of our work. The areas could involve assessment of groundwater potential, technology testing or other relevant issues.

Richard Cansdale has agreed to take us on as a partner for his recently patented “CanLift pump”.

SJOG (St John of God Brothers) will be our partner in a pilot programme in their Umsuma project in their outreach programmes in MZUZU, Northern Malawi.

Malawi Ministry for Water: In our meeting with Sidney Mainala, director of Water Resources, and his team in Lilongwe in November 2005 he agreed to provide us with any mapping or Hydrological information available.