Washing her hands under the new tap, Lò Thị Xuân, a resident of Phiêng Hin village, Chiềng Sinh commune, excitedly shared: “Previously, whenever entering the dry season, the water in the ravines gradually dried up, forcing many households to take turns fetching water, making daily life very arduous. Since the gravity-fed water system was brought directly to our homes, the people’s lives have become much more convenient, and everyone can securely work and produce.”

The gravity-fed domestic water project in Phiêng Hin village was sponsored by the Vietnam Health, Education, and Literature Projects (VNHELP) foundation, with villagers contributing their labor days. Recalling the extremely arduous construction days, groups of local villagers took turns digging trenches, transporting materials, and hauling rolls of pipes over the hillsides to bring water to the village. Phiêng Hin village consists of 116 households, 51 of which previously faced regular domestic water shortages during the dry season. At times, four to five households had to share a single pipeline channeling water from a ravine stream, resulting in a minimal water volume; residents had to beg for water or carry plastic cans to the stream to haul water back home.

Recalling the water-scarce months, Lò Thị Thoa, another resident of Phiêng Hin village, shared: “Just over a month ago, my family still had to carry plastic cans and basins to our neighbors’ houses to ask for water. On many days when the neighbors ran out too, we had to ride motorbikes all the way to the stream to carry water back for family use. The scarce water source was prioritized for cooking, drinking, and livestock, while bathing and washing clothes mainly had to be done at the stream.”

During the peak of the dry season, not only Thoa’s family but many households in Phiêng Hin village had to fetch water from early morning or late evening. At times, long lines of plastic cans and a bustling scene of adults and children washing clothes along the stream banks became familiar images in the highland village of Phiêng Hin. Therefore, when the gravity-fed water project was deployed, the villagers enthusiastically contributed their labor.

Cà Văn Thoáng, Head of Phiêng Hin village, stated: “Receiving care and support, everyone in the village agreed and voluntarily contributed labor days to dig trenches and pull pipelines. Now that there is a stable water supply, the villagers are very excited.”

Phiêng Hin is just one of many villages that once faced water shortages in Chiềng Sinh commune. The entire commune comprises 28 villages, characterized mainly by mountainous terrain and scattered populations, where the domestic water source of residents largely depends on gravity-fed water works, natural streams, and small-scale storage tanks, meaning weather heavily impacts their quality of life. Through a review by the Chiềng Sinh commune People’s Committee, many domestic water projects in the area invested in years ago have degraded. Some pipeline routes are damaged, causing water loss and a sharp decrease in flow. During the dry season, numerous households in Hua Sát, Huổi Nôm, Khong Tở, Co Đứa, Muông, Yên, Hốc Chứn, and Thẳm Xả villages are constantly in a state of domestic water shortage.

Facing this reality, the Chiềng Sinh commune People’s Committee directed specialized departments to coordinate with villages to review the current status of water supply works, mobilizing residents to repair damaged pipeline routes, disseminating economical water use, and boosting socialization to step by step resolve domestic water hardships. Funded by an amount of over VND 5.1 billion sponsored by the VNHELP foundation, since April 2026, residents of Khong Nưa, Phai Mướng, Phiêng Hin, Thín A, and Thín B villages have deployed the construction of five gravity-fed water supply systems. To date, these works have been completed and put into use, contributing to meeting the water demands of all households across the villages.

Đỗ Văn Sơn, Chairman of the Chiềng Sinh commune People’s Committee, stated: “In the coming time, the commune will continue to review all degraded domestic water projects to propose synchronous investment and repairs funded by the national target programs for the 2026 - 2030 phase. Priority will be given to highland villages and areas frequently facing water shortages, while concurrently strengthening socialization and mobilizing the community to participate in the management, upkeep, and maintenance of domestic water works.”

Driven by the involvement of the local government, the joint companionship of organizations and benefactors, and the voluntary labor days of residents, water supply works are gradually manifesting across the highland villages of Chiềng Sinh.

Late in the afternoon, we left Phiêng Hin as children chattered and played around the new water taps, their laughter blending with the joy of adults after many seasons of “dry thirst.” Cool water streams have returned to the village, bringing along the faith in a more stable life across the highland villages of Chiềng Sinh.