A Year Later: Ebusiloli Primary School

A year ago, generous donors helped construct a rainwater catchment tank for Ebusiloli 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 Lillian Achieng with you.

"My journey to school has been made easier. I used to carry water to school and this would drag me," 11-year old Venter Anyona said.

She is one of many students who have experienced positive change in the year since the completion of the project at Ebusiloli Primary School. The community has truly embraced hygiene, and the school compound is clean. They have well-maintained facilities that are in good working condition.

Venter Anyona

This is further witnessed by the students' brilliant idea of improvising their handwashing containers to supplement the ones we provided last year. They use an empty 20-liter jerrycan and cut a hole in it for dispensing water. This clearly shows that they are washing hands more than ever.

"Many times I used to eat with dirty hand because there was no water to wash hands. Since the tank was constructed, the handwashing facilities provided, and we were trained on how to wash hands, I can wash my hands comfortably," Venter said.

Construction 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 Ebusiloli Primary School is changing many lives.

"Going to the toilet was hard for me because I used to be scared because the latrines were sinking. Now I go to the latrines constructed alongside the rainwater tank with no fear," Venter 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.