Solar water brings new life and restores dignity

Imagine waking up to thirst at dawn and getting out of bed. You step outside knowing a long trek for water awaits you. It will steal hours from your day.

When you reach the river, the sun is hot. You stand at the back of a line to wait silently for your turn, clutching your containers. Light makes the surface of the water glimmer, but you know it’s murky—carrying invisible dangers like cholera, E-coli infections and diarrhea ready to ripple through your community.

For three communities, life once revolved around a harsh truth: water was a threat. Each sip carried the risk of disease. Children missed school to fetch it and girls struggled with their safety and dignity.

But then, things changed. Side by side, World Vision and community leaders worked to transform fear into freedom. Together, they built solar-powered water systems in each community that poured out clean, safe and abundant water. For the first time, children were filling their cups without fear and families reclaimed hours once lost to dangerous treks, opening space for life to flourish.

A new chapter for girls at school in Uganda

Water was once a distant luxury in Cissy’s Ugandan community. The closest source was two kilometres from her school and even then, the water was not safe. This meant long walks to collect water, frequent illness and uncomfortable days without bathing, especially during her menstrual cycle. Cissy often stayed home from school to avoid embarrassment, missing valuable learning time. She was falling behind in her studies.

The school itself lacked latrines and a water supply. Managing hygiene during menstruation was nearly impossible.

“If water wasn't available, I would just stay at home," Cissy recalls. These challenges not only affected girls’ health, but their academic performance as they struggled to concentrate while battling illness or discomfort.

World Vision worked with the community to install a motorized water supply system, powered by solar energy. The system piped water for 5 ,000 households and along with the school. Latrines were also built. “Since the water was extended to our school, everything has changed,” says Cissy. Students now have safe water and adolescent girls can manage their menstrual hygiene without missing class.

Beyond the water and sanitation, books and school materials have also been provided, helping students stay on track and motivated. For Cissy and her friends, these changes are so much more than comfort—they represent opportunity: healthier communities, renewed dignity and education for girls who can now focus on learning.

“I no longer miss school or feel uncomfortable. We are so grateful […] for what World Vision has done. Thanks to these efforts, I am confident I will finish school and achieve my dreams.”

A reason to smile in Malawi

For decades, one village in Malawi’s Karonga district faced severe water scarcity, forcing women and girls to walk seven kilometres a day for unsafe water. The contaminated water contributed to cholera outbreaks and hindered education, particularly for girls.

In 2025, World Vision installed a solar-power water system with 21 taps through the Lupembe-Mlare Water Project, funded by Forest Community City Church from Hamilton, Ontario and World Vision Canada. It now benefits over 1,455 residents, including 394 school children, reducing the risk of diseases and eliminating long, dangerous walks for water.

For girls like Dyless, the change is life-altering. “We would fetch water early in the morning. I had to skip classes or arrive late, which lowered my performance,” she recalls. Today, Dyless and her schoolmates have time to focus on learning, but also peace of mind, knowing safe water is bringing better health and hygiene all around.

Outgrowing danger and disease in Sierra Leone

Every day, Mohamed was faced with two terrible options when he went to collect water. He could take a shortcut—a risky dash across a busy highway—or he could take a longer, isolated route, one through dense bush where he could be attacked. These dangers compromised safety and well-being, especially for girls.

For 13 years, child sponsorship made way for Mohamed’s community, driving improvement in education, maternal health and livelihoods. Working hand in hand with long-term community support and local partners, World Vision introduced a sustainable solution: a solar-powered borehole delivering safe water to five tap points within Mohamed’s village. The system ensures year-round access without relying on electricity or fuel, leveraging Sierra Leone’s plentiful sunlight.

Today, the hazardous path to the river is outgrown—a symbol of progress and hope for children and families.

A future flowing with possibility

Water is the foundation for life, dignity and opportunity. For these communities, the hum of solar panels signals a future where girls can learn, families can thrive and health no longer hangs in the balance.

As each community takes ownership and partners invest in sustainable solutions, they move closer to their vision of safe water for all—a goal that not only changes families today, but for generations to come.

Written by Christina Cook with files from Philip Makutsa, Regional Program Manager, Programs & Policy at World Vision Canada and Jordan Phiri, MW Nation.