“I wish I could use clean tap water all the time!”

Xiaoyang, whose primary school in the remote hills of Liping County, once shared this simple wish. His school, which sits near the top of a hill, had long struggled with water shortages. “Water stopped coming to school,” he recalled. “We had to fetch water from a well.”

Without running water, daily routines became difficult. “We need clean water to drink, wash our bowls after lunch, flush the toilet, and wash our hands,” Xiaoyang explained. “But the well water isn’t clear, especially when it rains. It’s dangerous and dirty to carry water from the well.”

For Xiaoyang and his classmates, the wait for a functioning water system felt endless. But one day, everything changed.

“Our school has tap water now!” he exclaimed with joy. “We don’t need to walk to the well anymore and we have more time to study. We’re cleaner and won’t get sick so easily. I really hope we can keep using this clean tap water!”

Alongside the new water system, Xiaoyang and his classmates took part in health education sessions on diarrhoea, pneumonia, and the 7-step handwashing method. “Now we all wash our hands before eating, after using the toilet, and after playing,” he said. “If I wash my hands well, I won’t get stomach pain or diarrhoea. I’ll be stronger.”

Xiaoyang also helped dig ditches and lay water pipes. “My classmates helped too. I used my own hands to help. I feel proud,” he said. “Water doesn’t come easily. I will treasure it. I won’t damage the pipes or taps. Even though we have enough water now, we must use it wisely.”

This transformation—clean water, better hygiene, and student participation—has left a lasting impact. Xiaoyang’s story is just one example of how access to safe water can change lives.

With clean and easy access to tap water, daily life at Xiaoyang’s school has been transformed—from fetching unsafe well water to enjoying better hygiene and more time for learning.