Manual borehole driller, Michael Soko
Michael Soko inspires many other Zambians to escape poverty. He expanded his well digging business into manual drilling. He is very happy that Jacana guides him in this process.
Michael Soko is a well digger and bricklayer from Luangeni village. He has a wife and four children.
Michael followed the business and the technical training in March 2017. He was very eager to learn, because he wants to build a house for his family, but than he needs to expand his business.
Michael Soko stopped being a part of the drillers cooperative and stopped drilling.
November 2018
Michael installed a pump on a well of Isaac and Tabhita. Joseph Kabwe produced the pump.

Tabhita and Isaac
August 2018
Michael drilled a borehole and installed a rope pump for Marksensio Phiri. The pump was produced by Gideon Phiri.

Pump on borehole at Marksensio Phiri’s farm
May 2018
Michael Soko installed a pump on a manually drilled borehole at Mary Phiri’s farm and he constructed a water tank for irrigation purposes. The pump was produced by Gideon Phiri.

Pump Mary Phiri
April 2018
Toghether with Edward Tembo, Michael deepened a borehole at Theressa Mbazima’s house. The pump was made by Moses Banda.

Pump on deepened well, Theressa
March 2018
Michael and Moses Banda drilled two private boreholes in Lundazi District. One borehole for a family and one for a village. The pumps were made by Gideon Phiri.

Private customer Lundazi

Village pump in Lundazi District
February 2018
Michael and Moses Banda drilled a borehole at Stelia Tembo. The pump was made by Moses Banda
January 2018
Michael and his drilling team drilled a borehole and installed a pump at Mary Nkhoma.
Michael Soko and Moses Banda drilled the first borehole outside Chipata district in a small town called Lundazi two hours drive from Chipata. The customer Mulabizi Nyimbili is a headteacher and gave the borehole as a Christmas present to his parents. The customer paid for the entire operation, there was no sponsorship involved and the family is happy with the water which is a challenge in Lundazi. The pump was made by Gideon Phiri, who also took care of customer relation.
Michael Soko and Moses Banda (who also made the pump) drilled a borehole at beekeeper Maria Ngoma.
December 2017
Michael Soko, Edward Tembo and Moses Banda drilled a borehole at beekeeper Chrispin Daka. The first attempt failed, but the team did not give up and the second attempt was successful. They even made a ground water recharge system next to the borehole. The pump was made by welder George Chulu.
October 2017
Micheal Soko, Edward Tembo and Hillary Phiri deepend a well and installed a pump at private customer Singi Munalula who fully paid (Self-supply) for the work and the pump (no sponsorship). Welder Gidoen Phiri made the pump.
The team drilled a borehole at Mr Frank Sakala’s farm which is on very sand soil formation. This took them about six days to drill and install a pump. Mr sakala had fully paid for the borehole and pump, now he has a borehole and has expressed gratitude to Jacana for the work done. (Self-supply)
Micheal and his team encountered problems when drilling at Mr Felix Zulu’s farm.The place was quiet rocky,such that they had to move about in three places within the same farm. In spite of all efforts to find water, Micheal and his team were not successful until they relocated to another plot belonging to Mr Felix Zulu. At this plot, Micheal and his team successfully drilled a borehole in less than a week, due to the fact that, the water level was shallow. Mr Felix Zulu is happy that he finally has a borehole with plenty of water.
September 2017
Micheal and his team had the community of Lembani for James Mbewe on the show, they managed to drill a borehole in an area where the local authority had once tried with good machinery but failed.This improbable success surprised the community members in that area and added an advantage to the team, they gained recognition,respect and potential customers.
August 2017
The team drilled a borehole at Uveren’Gapi Jere’s Garden, This is a dumbo area making it easy to find water.The pump is perfectly installed and in full operation.
After drilling several boreholes at their premises,the team had gained enough experience to drill boreholes for customers.This time, they had an opportunity to drill at Mr Joshua Tembo, this drilling was a success and a pump has been installed which is producing plenty of water for Mr Joshua.
Micheal and his team faced some problems as a group. Jacana proposed to have every week a weekly planning meeting. This is very helpful for the group. Also a bookkeeping system is introduced to Steven and his team. There is no longer confusion about money needed for materials, back up money and salaries. Everybody registers his hours worked and according to that they get paid. Steven showed himself as a great leader of the team.
July 2017
The team drilled a borehole at Simbani Chibwe, which had very hard soil formation and took them a long time. But they succeeded and now the village has a second water point.
June 2017
Manual drilling is not always easy. In Mvula farm the team drilled a borehole without finding water. Jacana SMART centre did not apprrove this (water)point. But the team build the approne anyway paying for the costs them selves. The borehole will be tested again after raining season and a ground water recharge system will be installed at that place to infiltrate the rain water as much as possible.
These sadbacks separate the boys from the men ; )
May 2017
Michael drilled 4 boreholes and installed rope pumps this month together with his colleagues. One of them was at his own house.
April 2017
Michael was part of the team who drilled a borehole at Steven’s place. They drilled up to 23 meters.
March 2017
Michael participated in the Jacana’s 3 weeks technical training. Throughout the training Michael was very active and acquired technical drilling skills in the following technologies:
- Auguring
- Soil punching
- Mzuzu drilling with chisel, open and closed bailers
- Drilling using Jetting
- Drilling by Sledging
- Bapthist drilling (percussion)
- Corbel, open well covering
Jacana will support Michael in:
- Providing technical Training in manual drilling and pump installation.
- Provision of initial tools and materials for few pumps.
- Guidance in book keeping and financial management.
- Marketing
Manual drilling service provider, business plan
Click here to learn how to read a Lean Canvas Business model.
This is part of a bigger project sponsored by Aqua for All















































































