Thuchila River Flow Restoration Excites Communities
By Aubrey Thom Vakhani
The restoration of the upper part of Thuchila River which flows in Mulanje has brought great joy to the communities, especially farmers who found it difficult to carry out farming activities because of the diversion caused by Cyclone Freddy.
Group Village Headman (GVH) Nogwe, in the area of Senior Chief Nkanda, said the cyclone that hit Mulanje and other districts in the southern part of Malawi caused the river to divert from its normal route, resulting in various negative impacts, including on agriculture.
He has since commended the financier, Abdul-Razak Goodson Sinoya, who kindly helped to restore the river to its original route after being approached by members of the community.
“The project has brought joy to the entire community, whose farming activities were negatively affected due to the diversion of the river in the area. Following the diversion of this [Thuchila] river, people failed to engage in farming as well as fishing. I would like to commend Mr. Abdul-Razak Goodson Sinoya for the rehabilitation of the river course,” said GVH Nogwe.
In a separate interview, 51-year-old Catherine Kanfosi from Chabwera Village said people have welcomed the project because they are going to resume their farming activities.
“We expect our lives to improve because this river is our source of food and income. We use this river for irrigation farming after the rainy season when we plant rice. We plant different crops here, including maize and vegetables. After harvesting our yields, we sell some while some are used to feed our families,” said Kanfosi, a mother of two.
On his part, Sinoya said he was approached by traditional leaders and their subjects to assist in the rehabilitation works and felt duty-bound considering that Cyclone Freddy had destroyed the flow of the river.
“They asked me to assist because Thuchila River is very important to the people in villages along it. Its importance motivated me to financially support the rehabilitation works here,” said Sinoya, who revealed that he has several projects in the pipeline, among others, supporting the youth with various technical skills so as to curb unemployment among them.
Sinoya injected over MK15 million for the rehabilitation works, which have covered a 500-meter stretch. The restoration of Thuchila River flow is expected to significantly boost the local economy by improving agricultural productivity and providing a reliable source of water for irrigation. This will enhance food security and livelihoods for the community, fostering overall well-being and social stability. As families thrive through increased crop yields, they can invest more in health, education, and community development, ultimately uplifting the entire region.
