From June to end of August 2009, the newly established Edinburgh based charity, Water Works, did a survey in Malawi with the aim of doing rural water development projects during future summers in the country. As well as building a considerable network of influential contacts for future years, Water Works was also able to implement a pilot project. This project involved the refurbishment of a well with approximately a thousand users per day. Initially, this well was simply a shallow hole in the ground, in close proximity to a corn field overfed by fertilizers. With the majority of the work performed by the community itself, the hole was transformed into a sealed, 6 metre deep direct action pump well, following standards set up by UNICEF.

For the summer of 2010, Water Works has identified project locations outside Lilongwe, which will involve shallow well refurbishments. Considering the close link between the charity and this thesis, the overall aim will be to implement the results of the thesis in-situ in these projects.