Upendo Children Village in Mzuzu says Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) hit the centre with an unexpected K700,000 water bill for one month, forcing the children’s village to start using unsafe water sources.
Upendo Children Village Managing Director Florence Mkisi said that unavailability of water and electricity is making it tough to raise and accommodate the children in their village.
“We are using unsafe water and unreliable electricity; we have been forced to be getting water from the borehole and using solar electricity which is not safe for the good care of our children.
“Northern Region Water Board hit us with high water bills that’s why we decided to draw from the borehole since our concerns with the Board about the unexpected monthly water bill of K700,000 which came out hasn’t been addressed yet.
“We planted a maize mill way back in 2015 to help us generating funds for the orphanage but it hasn’t started operating due to unavailability of electricity,” said Mkisi.
Upendo Children Village accommodates 57 children whose ages range from 6 to 19 years.
Foundation for Children Rights (FCR) has since donated various food items to the Children Village which is located in area 4 in Mzuzu.
FCR Executive Director, Jenifer Mkandawire hailed Upendo for the good job they are doing, saying it’s not easy to raise such huge number of children with challenges faced at the village.
“I am asking well-wishers to help Upendo Children Village to effect good care of the children being kept at this facility. We realise that the facility lacks potable water and electricity, and that it needs to be well fenced as to ensure safety of the children. Our organisation therefore pledge for more support and promise to convince well-wishers to help develop the facility,” said Mkandawire.
The donated food items include Soap, Beans, Sugar, Flour, Soya Pieces, Face Masks worth K250,000.
Foundation for Children Rights donated these items with the fund from an Australian based organisations comprising of Africans in diaspora, AfriAus iLEAC Inc, PAADN & and VAOMAF.
