A Food for Work Programme was instigated in September 2002 to repair a water-powered maize mill in Mlowe.
Machine-ground maize yields three times more food than hand-ground. Since 1980, villagers had been hand-grinding maize or using an old diesel engine to power the mill. This was very expensive and diesel was often difficult to find.
A barrage, river bank reinforcement, water channel, mill pond, tail race, and new water wheel were constructed by the local workers.
On-site training was provided and the maintenance of the water-powered mill was entirely undertaken by the local people without any outside assistance.
The work cost some £15,000 which was funded by special donations to the Malawi Millennium Project. Specialist materials were supplied free of charge in Malawi by companies from Germany and South Africa.