In 2023, a major water crisis hit the 4,000 residents who live in a rural village of Matshemhlophe a region in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Fortunately, thanks to Innovate Africa and the Betway Cares team, life in this village has been completely transformed.
Everyday living in rural South Africa can be hard. Without safe, clean drinking water or access to the sanitation services many of us enjoy, the villagers of Matshemhlophe were forced to walk long distances to fetch water. On top of this, the water often carried waterborne diseases.
But, on 14 November 2023, the Innovate Africa team joined forces with the Betway Cares Foundation to equip the village with a solar water pump system – able to deliver 86,000 litres of clean water to 20 taps via 2,270 kilometres of piping. This was not just about clean and accessible water. The positive impact that the water system has had on education, economic progress and the villagers’ health is immeasurable.
When the system was initially installed, hopes were high. Sthembiso Mnyandu, 39-year-old father of four told the team he and his siblings grew up facing hardships, relying on social grants to survive. “We lost our parents when I was only 19, and our youngest sibling was just two years old. From a young age, we had to fetch water from open sources. Life was incredibly challenging, and to help sustain us, I started a small vegetable garden.”
Sthembiso’s vegetable garden didn’t thrive as he’d hoped. “Vegetables would spoil quickly and food was often scarce. Despite these difficulties, we managed to get by with the little we had. Now, thanks to the water project in our community, my backyard garden is flourishing. I am even planning to expand it so I can sell produce within the community and earn some extra income. This project has brought immense joy not just to me and my family, but to the entire community. As a member of the water committee, I am continuing to see the benefits of this wonderful project and all I want to say is thank you for this gift!”
If there is a gift that keeps on giving, the Matshemhlope water system is it. Two years after the system was installed, Thuli Ndwandwe, a 59 -year-old mother of seven, has joined Sthembiso as someone whose life has been transformed.
“There are 17 people living in our home. Having clean water close to us has brought great relief to my family,” she told the Innovate Africa team on a recent visit. “Our home is now cleaner, the children are healthier and daily life is no longer as stressful as it once was. We no longer have to worry about long walks to collect water. I am truly grateful to the donor for restoring our dignity and making our everyday lives easier.”
American anthropologist Loren Eiseley said, “If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” And nowhere is that more apparent than in the quiet, now flourishing village of Matshemhlophe.