This life saving program provides long-term access to clean, safe drinking water for 700 vulnerable families (approximately 2,500 individuals) in the Matero slum of Lusaka, Zambia-an area deeply affected by recurrent cholera outbreaks and waterborne illnesses such as typhoid, dysentery, and hepatitis A. Each family receives a high-quality Safe Water Filtration System (SWFS), including a 0.1-micron membrane filter, pre-filter, bucket, and stand. These systems are designed to last 10 years and require no electricity or chemicals to operate.
Our model draws on our long-standing community presence and the success of prior health initiatives. Power of Love’s trained community health workers deliver in-home training on the use and maintenance of the SWFS, conduct follow-up visits, and monitor both filter use and household health outcomes. Each system is deployed alongside culturally tailored education campaigns to raise awareness about waterborne disease prevention and promote healthy practices.
This program builds on our proven track record in HIV care, where we have seen how environmental factors like unsafe water can undermine treatment adherence and patient outcomes. By addressing one of the most critical public health threats in urban slums-contaminated water-we are helping families protect their health, keep children in school, and reduce preventable deaths, particularly during Zambia’s ongoing cholera crisis.
Our mission is to ensure that no family in Matero has to choose between thirst and illness. Access to clean water is a basic human right and a cornerstone of resilient, healthy communities. Through locally-led education, evidence-based tools, and long-term support, we aim to dramatically reduce the burden of waterborne disease and promote dignity and well-being in every household we serve.
Our goal is to equip families with both the technology and the knowledge to safeguard their own health. The goals of this program are:
provide access to affordable, long-term water filtration systems,
reduce the incidence of waterborne illnesses including cholera, typhoid, and dysentery, and
promote water safety practices and disease prevention through community outreach and education.