April Update

Tap the sun was WaterAid’s special project last summer; to bring life-saving, clean water access to Chicoma, and other remote towns in Mozambique, using their most abundant natural resource: the sun.

Thanks to the generosity of WaterAid supporters to our Tap the Sun project, Chicoma is well on its way to having clean water supplied by solar-powered water pumps.

See what the people of Chicoma think about the project! 

Image: WaterAid/ Chileshe Chanda

I have seen a lot of change at the construction site, I am happy with the progress made so far. We already have a borehole, the solar panels and a stand where they are going to put a tank. Every day, we flock to the construction site to draw water, even before the works are finished.

A note on Cyclone Idai. 

Last winter you helped us raise essential funds for 29 schools in Nicaragua and Colombia. Up first was the Totcomana School. Now, students and teachers count on access to clean water and toilets. Check out the Let Kids Learn hub for more updates from the field!

Clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene help to keep us all healthy. Everyone agrees on this but not everyone has access to these three simple, life-saving essentials. We believe these three essentials should be available for everyone everywhere. But, today, millions of people have their access denied, simply because of who they are, how much money they have, or where they live. Lacking access to these essentials stops people from having an equal chance to be healthy, educated and financially secure. We are determined to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene available for everyone everywhere, as soon as is possible. 

Take a look at the video below, it quickly explains the issue of inequality when it comes to water access. 

By working together we make a bigger difference. Here at WaterAid we get to work with incredible partners like LDS Charities to bring access to clean water to the communities that need it most.

Most recently, they are supporting a project in Timor-Leste. The goal is for four communities to have access to clean drinking water in the Laquica and Manufahi districts by mid-year One of the projects in the communities in Manufahi was recently completed. 

Guilermino, 11, lives in Fanlelo, Manufahi. Before WaterAid built a tap stand in his village, Guilermino and his friends did not have access to clean water. With the nearest water source located approximately 2 kilometers from his home, Guilermino and his mother had to walk two to three hours to collect water, usually before and after school. 

I am so grateful for the support of the LDS Charities. Now, my family and friends have clean water near our homes, and we can spend more time learning and playing.

Stay tuned as more communities, like Guilermino’s, gets clean water!