When we first met Maria in 2019, she sometimes didn’t have enough time to learn, let alone play.

At Chianga School, where Maria and another 616 children attend, there was no source of clean water. There were only 2 toilets and no water to wash hands or clean the toilets that were there. Unsurprisingly, the headteacher told us that often children were absent with stomach illnesses.

Maria and the other students had three options: to go thirsty (or not use water at all), to leave class in search of water (often walking miles) or to stay at home.

Every child deserves to learn and play and develop in a safe environment and that’s why part of our work focuses on improving facilities in schools.

Solar water systems are particularly cost-effective in sun-drenched Mozambique where a large number of students need access to clean water. Storage tanks feed a network of taps around the site, and link to sanitation blocks incorporating flushing toilets, showers and urinals.

Football might not be on the top of everyone’s list but it can be now for Maria. With safe water to drink, she has time and energy to play with her friends – in between classes of course!

Safe water means different things to so many people, but everyone deserves the chance to live in good health, go to school and chase their dreams.