A Year Later: Chief Mutsembe Primary School

October, 2018

“Construction of the water tank greatly contributed to accessing clean and safe water for the school’s community.” – Doreen Muchalwa

A Year Later: Chief Mutsembe Primary School


A year ago, generous donors helped install a rainwater catchment tank for Chief Mutsembe Primary School in Kenya. The contributions of incredible monthly donors and others giving directly to The Water Promise allow teams to visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the water project over time. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – and we’re excited to share this one from Mary Afandi with you.


The pupils at Chief Mutsembi Primary School used to carry water from their homes to school every morning. The water was used for cooking and cleaning at the school. After the completion of the water project, the school now has access to safe, quality water. This saves the children valuable time and energy, enabling them to concentrate on their studies.

"Construction of the water tank greatly contributed to accessing clean and safe water for the school’s community. The classes are clean because there is enough water in the tank," Doreen Muchalwa, the teacher in charge of sanitation, said.

Initially, the school did not have enough latrines. Most of the latrines were in poor conditions and posed a health hazard to the students. In addition, the toilets were not enough for the school community. Some of the toilets had even collapsed during the rainy season.

The new latrines constructed during the project are safe, clean, and stable. The handwashing facilities make it possible for students to wash their hands after visiting the toilets. The school has been transformed over the past year.

"The toilets have reduced congestion when the pupils want to use them," Ms. Muchalwa said.

"The handwashing facilities have assisted the pupils to wash their hands after visiting the toilets. The pupils now have sufficient time for their academic programs."

Installation of the tank is only one step along the journey toward sustainable access to clean water. The Water Project is committed to consistent monitoring of each water source. Our monitoring and evaluation program, made possible by donors like you, allows us to maintain our relationships with communities by visiting up to 4 times each year to ensure that the water points are safe and reliable.

This is just one of the many ways that we monitor projects and communicate with you. Additionally, you can always check the functionality status and our project map to see how all of our water points are performing, based on our consistent monitoring data.

One project is just a drop in the bucket towards ending the global water crisis, but the ripple effects of this project are truly astounding. This tank in Chief Mutsembe Primary School is changing many lives.

"Absenteeism among the pupils has greatly reduced as compared to previous years," 13-year-old student Chatex Kavere said.

This is only possible because of the web of support and trust built between The Water Project, our local teams, the community, and you. We are excited to stay in touch with this community and support their journey with safe water.

Read more about The Water Promise and how you can help.



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