Latest news

The SMART Centres are organising a SMART Symposium from 13 – 16 November 2018.

Information on the Symposium is now available through the website through the following links:

Introduction

Program

Registration

Logistics

On October 4 and October 5 the CCAP SMART Centre organised two Open Days. The first was for the SMART Centre members and their families and the second for the general public.

Both days attracted good interest and led to business opportunities for both the entrepreneurs as well as possible partnerships for the SMART Centre.

An impression of the days with pictures can be found on our Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SMART.Centre.Mzuzu/

One of the visitors also wrote a blog post on the Open Day which can be accessed through the website of the Rainwater Harvesting Association in Malawi (http://fblnmalawi.org/2018/10/09/low-cost-smart-technologies-for-improved-livelihoods/)

The CCAP SMART Centre is opening its offices, workshop and Demonstration ground during the Open Day on Friday October 5th, 2018.

Between 10AM and 3PM the public is welcome to visit the SMART Centre and appreciate the demonstration ground.

As part of the training program, the SMART Centre offers trainings in the maintenance of hand pumps commonly found in Malawi. Daniel Lweya, one of the interns at the SMART Centre reports on the recent Afridev Maintenance Training:

“The installation and maintenance of Afridev pump training took 3 days. The mode of training was good. We received both theory and practical lessons through experienced trainers; Aaron Msiska and Kayipa Banda. Both were well prepared for the training. We managed to visit three sites where maintenance was carried out, namely SMART Centre demonstration ground, Lusangazi village and Geisha primary school.

Within three days of training, nearly every trainee was familiar with components and functionality of Afridev parts, dismantling and reassembling a pump as well as identifying a problem at a water point before dismantling.

Participants were enthusiastic to start maintaining Afridev pumps and promised to work hard in their localities. For instances, 4 participants who attended the training have been picked to work in rehabilitation of 5 Afridev Borehole in Karonga district. The project will help them to expand their knowledge on the same.

I personally want to thank the SMART Centre for all trainings they are offering. I’m now exposed to practical and technical work, the concept which is usually missing in our university in Malawi.”

The CCAP SMART Centre has published its second newsletter. The newsletter covers the activities of the past months as well as interviews with some staff members. The newsletter can be accessed through the following link: Second newsletter.

The SMART Centre and SNV are organising an introductory short course to provide policy makers and practitioners in water and agricultural management with a holistic set of knowledge and skills to take water and agricultural initiatives to the next level, to become true agents of change and accelerate reaching several SDGs simultaneously.

The course will take place from 19 – 23 March 2018 at the CCAP SMART Centre in Mzuzu, Malawi.

The course schedule is divided into the following themes:

• The SMART Centre approach
• SMARTechs for agriculture and productive use
• SMARTechs for water and sanitation
• Business development, marketing support and coaching

For registration please send an email to info@smartcentremalawi.com, enclosing a CV as well as a short motivation letter (max. 400 words). Applications should preferably be received by the 27th of February to ensure ample visa processing time.

For more information you can access the flyer through the following link: International training course flyer

From 16 – 26 January the CCAP SMART Centre is running a course in ‘Basic Manual Drilling’.

The Basic Manual Drilling training will train in the Mzuzu Drilling Technology. This basic manual drilling technology combines Auguring and Bailing is capable of drilling wells of up to 18 meters deep and is especially suitable for soft soils (sand, clay, small gravel). The method can also be used to deepen existing hand dug wells in order to ensure a year round supply of water.

Course topics are:

• Course outline: Theory of Manual Drilling (Mzuzu Drilling)
• Basic Geology
• Mzuzu Drilling toolset
• Safety during drilling
• Drilling as a business
• Includes practice in the field

Those interested can contact the CCAP SMART Centre through reinier@smartcentremalawi.com or info@smartcentremalawi.com.

Leaflet Training Jan 2018

The CCAP SMART Centre has published its first newsletter.

The newsletter can be accessed through the link to newsletter.

To subscribe to the newsletter, please send a message to info@smartcentremalawi.com

Recently the CCAP SMART Centre and Temwa, together with two Virginia Tech students, visited Usisya for a half year follow-up survey of the Try and Buy filter pilot. The survey has generated some exciting and interesting results on the adoption rate, the willingness to pay for filters as well as health effects of using the filter.

Some highlights:

• Off the households that collected the filter, 98% decided to keep the filter and pay for it after the Trial period has ended.
• At least 80% of the households use the filter all the time.
• Almost 90% of the households reported a drop in the frequency of diarrhea after they started using the filter.
• Improved health, ease to use, taste & appearance of the water were key factors for households to decide to purchase the filter.
• Over 95% of the users was able to demonstrate how to properly clean the filter.

Based on the findings a report has been written which can be downloaded through the link below:

Follow-up report Livuwi, Usisya