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How a village in Shigar gets clean water

Every water project starts with the village itself. Here is how a scheme is assessed, shared, checked and placed on our merit list.

Kiran Yahya
October 28, 2026
Children at a Momina Cheema Water Project tank, district Shigar.

Since 2021, the Momina Cheema Foundation has worked in one adopted district: Shigar, in Gilgit-Baltistan. Clean water is a core part of that work, delivered through motorized borehole units that each community owns.

We do not choose villages from a map. A village applies, and its application is assessed against water project criteria approved by our Board.

What a village needs before we begin

A reliable water sourceA source that is fully reliable year-round, with priority for sites near a river or another verified, sustainable source.
An electricity connectionAn existing electricity pole at or near the site, so the system can run efficiently and sustainably.
A 50:50 cost shareThe community contributes half of the total project cost. MCF funds the other half through donor support.
A site inspectionAn authorized MCF technical team verifies the source, the power supply and the site, and reports to our Board.

Why the cost is shared 50:50

Every water project is a joint venture. The village or beneficiary area contributes 50% of the total project cost, and MCF funds the remaining 50% through donor support. The community has a real stake in the scheme from the first day.

Checked on site, then placed on our merit list

Before a project can go ahead, our technical team inspects the site. They confirm the water source, the electricity pole and whether the site suits the system, and their findings go to the MCF Board.

Villages that meet every requirement and pass the site check are placed on the MCF Water Project Merit List. Qualifying does not guarantee a project right away: we plan development projects one to two years ahead, and each one depends on donor funding, project priorities and our implementation schedule.

Community elders and engineers at a water pipeline site, district Shigar
Laying a water pipeline, district Shigar.
A boy fills his cup at a Momina Cheema Water Project tank, district Shigar
A finished project tank, district Shigar.

Owned by the community

Once a scheme is running, it belongs to the community that applied for it, which is why every project begins with the village itself.

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