China has donated five seawater desalination systems to the Maldives to ease the island's drinking water shortage. Each of the Maldives' five islands received its own desalination system and can meet the daily freshwater demands of around 2,000 people. The locals' freshwater primarily comes from rain and groundwater, leaving them vulnerable to shortages during extreme weather conditions. Furthermore, the clean energy powering the system can also provide household electricity for the local residents.