Monto village in Magway Region, Myanmar, June 3, 2023 – Monto village is located in Pakokku township in the northwest of Myanmar. While most of the country receives ample rainfall annually, the Magway region often faces drought conditions, which have intensified due to climate change.
As a result, accessing safe drinking water usually requires pumping from 100 meters underground, which is an arduous task.
“In the past, we relied on just one manual pump. During summer when the water table dropped too low, we would often have no water supply at all,” said Daw Khin, 60, the headmistress of the local school and leader of the Village Water and Sanitation Committee. “This meant walking very far distances to fetch water – a huge burden for us.”
Solar-Powered Water
In 2023, to help address the drinking water difficulties, UNICEF partnered with local authorities to install a solar pump system in the village. Villagers contributed 40% of the capital and installation costs.
The new solar pump system uses solar power to bring water up from deep underground. It flows into a large storage tank that can supply enough water for the full day. Gravity then draws the water through a piped network directly to households.
In 2023, Yami Solar collaborated with local government to improve the village’s water supply using helical rotor solar pumping systems.
Compared to manual and diesel pumps, the solar pump has proven highly reliable with few breakdowns. Still, as a precaution the village water committee collects a small monthly tariff from each household based on consumption, averaging $1 per month. This allows the village to fully sustain its own water supply. The upfront community investment also gives a strong sense of ownership and responsibility. And the household taps provide great convenience.
“We don’t mind paying a small fee. It is now much more convenient than before,” said Daw Khin. “One dollar per month is affordable for villagers here. As the pump has required no repairs so far, our reserve fund has grown to over $1,000 now. We hope to allocate part of the surplus for health and education projects.”
Reaching More Communities
Khin’s family is just one beneficiary of the improved water system. “Now water flows right into our home, it’s really great,” said Umar Khim and Daw Mya San. “It makes daily life much easier and gives us more time to care for our family and the things that make us happy!”
In 2023, Yami Solar partnered with local authorities to install helical rotor solar pumping systems in drought-affected villages across Myanmar, providing access to clean drinking water.
