Latest news

Open Day @ CCAP SMART Centre – 5 October 2018

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.

Reinier VeldmanOpen Day @ CCAP SMART Centre – 5 October 2018
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SMART Symposium in Malawi November 13 – 16

In November 2018, MetaMeta, Aqua for All, SNV and the SMART Centres will organise the SMART Symposium to share lessons learnt in WASH and rural development from the past 25 years. In this period over 10 million people have benefited from SMARTechs.

 

The symposium will take place in Mzuzu, Malawi from Tuesday 13th to Thursday 15th of November, 2018. There is an optional fourth day on the 16th of November with additional field trips, allowing participants to engage in in-depth discussions with trained and mentored businesses.

For more info download the Flyer

For registration or more information contact us through info@smartcentremalawi.com.

Reinier VeldmanSMART Symposium in Malawi November 13 – 16
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Afridev hand pump maintenance training @ CCAP SMART Centre

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.”

Reinier VeldmanAfridev hand pump maintenance training @ CCAP SMART Centre
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Second newsletter CCAP SMART Centre published

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.

Reinier VeldmanSecond newsletter CCAP SMART Centre published
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International Training Course: “Market-led SMARTechs for water and agriculture”

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

 

 

Reinier VeldmanInternational Training Course: “Market-led SMARTechs for water and agriculture”
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January 2018 Training Program

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

Reinier VeldmanJanuary 2018 Training Program
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Exciting results from Try and Buy filter pilot in Usisya

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

Reinier VeldmanExciting results from Try and Buy filter pilot in Usisya
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UNICEF and DfID support Self-supply in Malawi

UNICEF and PumpAid have recently published a great video showing the effect of the SMART Centre work

 

The CCAP SMART Centre has been involved in a self-supply program of PumpAid funded through UNICEF and DfID. As one of the activities the SMART Centre trained area mechanics in the installation and maintenance of Rope pumps. Our welder in Kasungu, Mr. Brighton Kaniki was also involved in the self-supply program as supplier of pumps.

 

Recently, PumpAid published a short video portraying some of the businesses trained by the SMART Centre, showing promising results. This video shows the effect and potential of the SMART Centre work and the self-supply program of PumpAid.

Reinier VeldmanUNICEF and DfID support Self-supply in Malawi
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CCAP SMART Centre at RWSN conference

The SMART Centre Group and the local SMART Centres will be represented at the RWSN conference in Ivorycoast. The conference will take place from Tuesday November 29th – Friday December 2nd.

Reinier VeldmanCCAP SMART Centre at RWSN conference
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