Water purification plan

On October 28, at a rural primary school in Yunnan Province, teachers and students joined volunteers from a corporate partner, staff from One Foundation, and an illustration artist to install a special new water purification system and take part in engaging water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) activities. The arrival of this “new friend” filled the campus with excitement—children and teachers alike no longer need to worry about safe drinking water.

This school is the 6,001st rural school supported by the One Foundation Clean Water Program.

Earlier this year, on April 16, One Foundation received a message reporting that several local schools were in urgent need of water purification equipment. During the rainy season, the drinking water at these schools often became heavily polluted and cloudy. After receiving the request, the Clean Water Program team promptly included the schools in its field assessment plan and soon conducted on-site visits to understand the real conditions.

The primary school is located in a remote karst mountainous area and serves more than 300 students, most of whom are Yao ethnic minority children from nearby villages. Water used for daily activities such as washing and cleaning comes from a storage reservoir built by the school. When project staff turned on the tap during their visit, murky water flowed out immediately. To ensure safer drinking water, the school previously relied on large containers to let water settle. During particularly turbid rainy periods, students’ families had to purchase bottled water at their own expense, while in the dry season the school depended on emergency water deliveries from local government departments.

The message to One Foundation was left by Principal Li, who oversees the township central school and its affiliated village schools. After learning about the Clean Water Program, he reached out to the foundation in hopes of improving drinking water conditions for teachers and students. To his surprise, the response came quickly.

In addition to this primary school, the Clean Water Program has now been implemented in more than 10 schools across the same county, providing water purification equipment along with engaging WASH education courses and campus activities. These efforts help children develop healthy drinking habits and good hygiene practices.

Zeng Ming, a staff member of the One Foundation Clean Water Program, shared:

“Every year, we receive many requests for support through different channels. Our team does its best to verify basic information and deliver limited donation resources to communities with the greatest needs. By continuously collecting feedback from actual use, we keep improving and upgrading the program to better serve children in rural areas.”

After learning about the filtration principles behind the purification system and the design journey of the children’s water cups, a “Healthy Companions” carnival-style activity was held on campus that afternoon. Guided by teachers and volunteers, students participated in eight interactive challenge games—including Germ Battle and Water Cycle Puzzle—learning essential water and hygiene knowledge through laughter and play. Some students eagerly demonstrated the “Seven Steps of Handwashing” while correcting each other, becoming little “health teachers” for their peers.

One volunteer reflected:

“The children explored with joy and lit up the entire event with their pure enthusiasm. In the process, seeds of caring for water resources and practicing healthy lifestyles were quietly planted in their hearts.”