The village of Kaw Tar Ho (KTH) is located in the Eastern part of the State of Kayin (Karen) ,about one-hour drive from the State capital, Hpa An, with 175 households (about 1500 villagers). As KTH village has suffered from armed clashes several times, many of the villagers are returnees from refugee camps or IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons).
 
Mainly due to lack of irrigation system, the villagers can harvest rice crops only once a year, whereas, in most other areas of Myanmar, rice is commonly produced twice a year. Thus the water shortage has been an obstacle for the villagers in getting more money through multiple cropping as well as in improving their daily lives.
 
Their well is shallow and dry up easily in dry seasons. Until a few years ago, they used to pump water up from the deep well in the village of Shwe In Don (SID) located about 700 m away from KTH village and then stream the water using water conduit, however, the fuel cost for running the water pump was too expensive for them to continue paying. Therefore, they couldn’t help but carrying water buckets on their shoulders from nearby villages and rivers since seven or eight years ago.
 
BHN was about to close the works for the 2016 fiscal year by the end of March, when it decided to install solar powered pump for the well in the village of SID so as to enable water supply without the need of fuel for running the pump. The water pipes connecting to the two villages had been abandoned for some time but the villagers volunteered to repair them.
 
In early June, the water pump started again to supply water for the two villages. The villagers applauded as they watched the water tank filled up very quickly, and later, the villagers were so thankful that their representatives visited our office in Hpa An and handed an appreciation letter to BHN.