Islamabad: In a drought-stricken region in Pakistan, one farmer defied the odds to provide free, year-round water to his village. His dam is already transforming the area and improving the lives of his neighbors.

According to Deutsche Welle, in the drought-stricken hills of Bukhari Kalan, farming was once at the mercy of erratic rains. But one farmer, Chaudhry Muhammad Irfan, refused to wait for the skies to open – so he built his own dam.

Irfan says there is no involvement of the government or any local individuals in this project: “We built it entirely on our own, and we handle all the operational work ourselves. From its care and maintenance to providing water to everyone – everything is managed at our own expense. We supply water… throughout the year.”