When we first visited Chicoma in Northern Mozambique, the community's main water source was a huge, unprotected and unstable sand pit. Local women like Molia used long poles with bottles on the end to scoop up the murky water.

Now, things are changing. 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. People gather at the construction site every day to see the work in progress and there is lots of excitement in the community. You can see some of Molia's thoughts in the gallery below.

Molia Abdallah, 47, in front of a solar powered water scheme being constructed in Chicoma, Mossuril District, Nampula Province, Mozambique, October 2018. Molia Abdallah, 47, in front of a solar powered water scheme being constructed in Chicoma, Mossuril District, Nampula Province, Mozambique, October 2018. Image: WaterAid/ Chileshe Chanda
Molia Abdallah, 47, drawing water with other community members at the solar powered water scheme being constructed in Chicoma, Mossuril District, Nampula Province, Mozambique, October 2018. Every day, we flock to the construction site to draw water, even before the works are finished. Image: WaterAid/ Chileshe Chanda
Maria Casimero, 54, collects water from the unprotected water source at Chicoma Village, Mossuril District, Nampula Province, Mozambique, October 2017. A reminder of the way things were - collecting from the unprotected water source, October 2017. Image: WaterAid/ Eliza Powell

"I would like to say thank you for this great gift."

As part of the project, a sanitary block has also been built at the local primary school. School Principal Feliciano Basilio says it will help the children enjoy going to school and he expects more students to enroll now.

Feliciano Basilio, 40, stands in front of the sanitary block that has been constructed at Chicoma Primary School in Mossuril District, Nampula Province, Mozambique, October 2018.
Image: WaterAid/ Chileshe Chanda

"It would have been impossible for us to do this."

Abdul Aziz Assubushi, 62, is a community leader in Chicoma. He has been organizing members of the community to help out with the construction.

Abdul Aziz Assubushi, 62, a community leader in Chicoma stands in front of the solar powered water scheme under construction, Mossuril District, Nampula Province, Mozambique, October 2018.
Image: WaterAid/ Chileshe Chanda