243,294 KIDS at 181 SCHOOLS
Project Stats
START DATE
2025
SCALE & SCOPE
181 schools
TARGET POPULATION
243,294 children
ESTIMATED COMPLETION
2029
STRATEGIC EXIT
2030
Malawi
In Malawi’s cities, schools are packed with students, but clean water and sanitation are in short supply. In Blantyre and Lilongwe, where school enrollment is among the highest in the country, more than half of urban schools lack handwashing facilities. Many don’t have adequate toilets, forcing students—especially girls—to navigate unsafe and unhygienic conditions every day.
Rapid urban growth (over 5% annually) is straining resources, and with 70% of Malawians living in poverty, schools often can’t afford even the basics. More than half of them (52%) have to ration water daily. The government has set strong WASH standards for schools, but these remain out of reach for too many students.
Splash can help change this. Our model of pairing durable infrastructure with behavior change and local capacity-building fits right into Malawi’s needs and government priorities. By collaborating alongside schools, communities, and policymakers, we can drive real, lasting change. In doing so, we can ensure sustainable funding for water and sanitation so students don’t have to worry about their next drink of clean water.
Population
21,100,000
Malawi is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa
THE GOAL
Every government school in Blantyre and Lilongwe
Blantyre and Lilongwe
STUDENTS (BLANTYRE)
128,661
STUDENTS (LILONGWE)
114,633
Malawi has a population of 21 million, with 16% living in urban areas and 84% in rural areas. Still, it is one of Africa's most densely populated countries. The population is expected to double by 2042 (NSO, 2019). Malawi’s urban population is growing at a high rate, with an annual urban growth rate higher than 5% and urban population of about 20% in 2024 (UN-Habitat, 2024). This high population growth rate places a high burden on public services, including education and water supply and sanitation.
Malawi's Education Act mandates free primary education in government primary schools. Blantyre and Lilongwe cities have the highest enrollment rates for primary and secondary schools. This highlights the demand for primary education and the significant challenges faced by government and school administrations in providing infrastructure and services, especially in primary schools. Malawi's government has recently developed and approved comprehensive WASH standards and guidelines for schools.
What are we doing?
Splash is partnering with governmental agencies and local partners in Malawi. The first stages of the project include co-design workshops with local stakeholders, budgeting and planning, and hiring local staff. We anticipate starting work in schools in mid-2025.