Six youths forming part of Youth for Mission group on behalf of Missio left Malta on 24 July to undergo a missionary experience in Malawi. Last Saturday they witnessed a scene of great celebration and joy by a community which used to have contaminated water and now has clean water.

Njala Ya Moto is a remote village in the diocese of Karonga in North Malawi. Here, the villagers had been drinking water from a hole dug in the ground since the time they settled there.

At the inaugural ceremony held on Monday 17 August, those present included the local committee members, a Malawi Member of Parliament, Fr Joseph Sikwese, the Bishop's secretary and representative and the six Maltese youths. The area's school Headmaster said that they had been abandoned for a long time and therefore could not thank the Maltese benefactors enough who were a new hope for their life.

He also said that local women, who generally are the ones who walk long distances in the sand to bring contaminated water for cooking and drinking, cried with joy when they saw vehicles in the place where digging had to start.

"Digging began on Friday 14 August in the morning and continued until Saturday at 2pm, on the feast of the Assumption. As the ground is very soft, an appropriate method had to be used, taking a lot of time. It was around 4pm on Saturday 15 August, when we saw clean water shooting upwards from pipes 45 metres  beneath the ground, to the euphoria of all the people," said the school Headmaster.

After the inaugural ceremony, Fr Joseph Sikwese thanked all MISSIO Malta benefactors and praised their generosity. He also explained that the original idea where the borehole had to be dug was in a school but when they realised the terrible situation this village was in, it was a must to help the community of Njala Ya Moto.

Bernard Vella, on behalf of the other five youths, Charlene, Ramona, Martha, Amanda and Janice, thanked the people for their hospitality towards the Maltese. He said that during this experience, they also distributed food to the various poor people and said about the quality time spent with the Lusobilo orphans. He concluded by thanking Sr. Beatrice Chipeta, foundress of the orphanage.

The six youths will return to Malta on Friday 28 August 2015.

All those wishing to help this project should donate online on: www.missio.org.mt or deposit their donation in either of these bank accounts: APS Bank 20000026142, HSBC 033079070001, BOV 10202698019 or BANIF Bank 9540010001