Published in September 2025

Our 2025 Big Give Anchor Match Fund campaign has now closed. If you missed it and would still like to make a donation towards our work, please click here!

Sand Dams Worldwide took part in the 2025 edition of the Big Give Anchor Match Fund campaign with supporters helping to raise over £58,000 (including match funding and GiftAid). These funds will go towards enabling two communities living in southern Malawi (a region experiencing severe water scarcity and environmental degradation) to build a sand dam and implement environmental protection measures, in turn helping farmers and families to become food and water secure whilst increasing their climate resilience.

On behalf of the dryland communities we support, we'd like to say a big thank you to all supporters and donors for their generosity.

About Malawi

Malawi has suffered greatly from the effects of climate change; flooding, drought, and environmental degradation have produced widespread food and water insecurity amongst the largely rural population, who depend heavily on rain-fed agriculture for their livelihoods. With only 5% of households surveyed producing enough food to last more than 9 months of the year, and many rural communities lacking access to clean water, there is a great need to restore degraded land and rebuild lost livelihoods.

About sand dams

Sand dams are a sustainable rainwater harvesting solution that store up to 40 million litres of water (which meets WHO drinking standards), providing people with year-round clean water. Unlike other water solutions, sand dams recharge groundwater levels and enable vegetation to regenerate. Combined with environmental protection measures, including tree planting, land degradation is reduced, increasing soil fertility so that farmers can grow more crops.

Watch how sand dams work here:

About our Anchor Match Fund campaign 

Using the money we raise during the Anchor Match Fund, we will support two communities living in southern Malawi to each construct a sand dam, providing a lifelong supply of clean water whilst helping to transform the surrounding environment by recharging groundwater levels. Additionally, each community will be supported to implement a range of environmental protection measures, such as gabions, bunds, silt traps, and vegetation planting (depending on what is appropriate to the specific site selected).

Further measures in each community will include establishing a tree nursery, helping to reforest the area around the sand dam whilst providing a source of food, fodder for livestock, firewood, and medicine. Lead farmers will also be trained in conservation agriculture and natural resource management to support improved farming and soil conservation, whilst establishing a seed bank (using drought-resistant varieties of seed) will help to boost long-term food security.

Lastly, each community will receive training in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH training), helping them to make use of water from their sand dam to implement good sanitation and hygiene practices.

Sitelia Moyo (pictured), a member of the Group Village Headman (GVH) Nyanthumbi community, had this to say about a similar project that took place in her community in southern Malawi.

"The water from the sand dam is safe and good to drink. I can quickly fill my buckets to ensure my family has enough water for the next morning. With this safe water, young children are spared from waterborne illnesses, and I am optimistic that it will continue to greatly enhance our lives."

Sitelia Moyo, member of the GVH Nyanthumbi community, southern Malawi.

A community member from GVH Feleumu, Matamando Lifa, also spoke with us regarding the sand dam project in their village.

"We now have access to water for farming, which is a big difference to the past where the lack of water made farming almost impossible. The area around us is greener now. The soil retains more moisture, and we are seeing more vegetation. The environment is healthier and more productive."

Matamando Lifa, member of the GVH Felemu community, southern Malawi.

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Missed our Big Give campaign? Please donate what you can and help to empower vulnerable women and girls in drylands to transform their own lives with sand dams and clean water