Several weeks after the villagers in Pai District completed their water filters, one of the participating groups—who had built their filter in partnership with our project—experienced significant contamination.

To better understand the situation, our Transformational Community Development (TCD) project team asked the villagers what steps they took after the water filter training, what materials they used, and how they maintained the system on their own. Through this discussion, they discovered that they had reused an old vinyl sheet, which had been only lightly cleaned, as a lid to cover the water tank.

Our team then recommended replacing the cover and cleaning the tank thoroughly to prevent further contamination.

Five weeks later, the results were remarkable—the water was clean and clear. The villagers were both impressed and proud that they had identified and solved the issue themselves.

Throughout this process, our TCD Team’s role was to provide guidance and support, while the community members took ownership of problem-solving. The local leader, Mr. Suriya, who stayed in close contact with our team to monitor the progress, shared, “Everyone is so happy that the problem has been fixed. Our community feels truly joyful.”

Since TCD first began working in this community, hope has steadily grown. Each success has strengthened the villagers’ confidence and ability to rely on their own resources. It is truly inspiring to witness progress that originates from within the community itself.

Thank you!

Written by Nutt, GHNI TCD Worker