Video: Operations & Maintenance services in rural areas, Malawi

This video outlines the roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders involved in the professional management and maintenance of drinking water infrastructure in rural areas of Malawi.

Every year, hand pump technicians, known as “Area Mechanics”, who are certified and equipped to carry out professional maintenance on water points, offer preventive maintenance service contracts to water point committees. These committees purchase the needed spare parts from a network of certrified local shops, ensuring access to high-quality spares.

Institutional and traditional authorities also play a vital role in the governance of the service, contributing to its oversight, monitoring and the mobilisation of local stakeholders.

This video was produced in 2026, in coordination with Inter Aide’s maintenance team in Malawi.