At the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), in partnership with The Worshipful Company of Plumbers (WCP), we are thrilled to share that four of our Plumbing Professional Development Scheme (PPDS) members - Ruben Duggan, Daisy Turner, Ollie Salmon, and Ethan Wynn are currently volunteering in Nepal, working on the Bokhejunda Water Distribution Project in collaboration with the Dolma Foundation.
Making a Life-Changing Impact in Rural Nepal
The volunteers are on the ground in Changam Basti, a remote village in the Rasuwa District where access to safe, reliable water is a daily challenge. Through this initiative, they are restoring and upgrading a gravity-fed water system that will provide 24-hour running water for 60 residents, transforming health, hygiene, and overall quality of life.
Nepal’s rugged terrain makes water infrastructure projects complex. Many villages rely on natural springs that are becoming increasingly unreliable due to climate change, deforestation, and landslides. By rehabilitating pipelines, repairing storage tanks, and installing new components, our volunteers are helping to deliver a long-term, sustainable water supply that will benefit the community for generations.
Pre-Project Visit: Supporting Local Plumbing Education
Before heading to Changam Basti, our volunteers spent a day visiting Nepalese plumbing schools, meeting students, and donating a range of educational resources and supplies to support the next generation of plumbing professionals. This visit reflects the PPDS’s commitment to skills development and international knowledge exchange, further strengthening connections between the UK and Nepal’s plumbing community.
Hands-On Skills, Global Impact
Our PPDS members are fully immersed in the project, applying their expertise directly on-site. Their activities include:
- Laying new pipelines
- Supporting the construction of system infrastructure
- Sharing plumbing knowledge with local residents
Through this hands-on collaboration, they are not just building a water system - they are empowering the community to maintain it sustainably.
Partnering for Lasting Change
The Dolma Foundation, long-time supporters of community-led projects in Nepal, are providing essential guidance, logistics, and accommodation for the team. The partnership between CIPHE and WCP ensures the project is safe, well-coordinated, and sustainable, creating a resilient water system the people of Changam Basti can rely on.
A Project That Embodies CIPHE and WCP Values
The Bokhejunda Project perfectly reflects the values shared by CIPHE, WCP, and the PPDS:
- Technical excellence
- Professional development
- Service to society
By combining professional skill with humanitarian purpose, our volunteers are showing how plumbing can truly change lives, improve wellbeing, foster leadership, and promote international collaboration.
Thanks to Our Supporters
This life-changing project is made possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of:
And, with a valued donation from the City and Guilds Foundation.
Their support is helping turn this vision into a tangible reality.
The Journey So Far
Since arriving in Nepal, Ruben, Daisy, Ollie, and Ethan have been working closely with local residents, laying the foundations for a reliable, sustainable water supply. Their efforts over the coming weeks will bring clean water to every home in Changam Basti, improving health, hygiene, and daily life.
We will continue to share updates from the field, and a full presentation of the volunteers’ experiences and the project’s impact will be featured at InstallerSHOW 2026 at NEC Birmingham.
At CIPHE and WCP, we are proud to see our PPDS volunteers making a real difference. This project is living proof that plumbing doesn’t just fix pipes, it transforms lives.