A Year Later: "I know I will pass with flying colors when the exams come."

Before we installed a borehole well at Ebwaliro Primary School last year, the students had to bring water with them from home every day.

"Before this borehole was drilled, as a school, [we] had a challenge in getting clean water," explained headteacher David Nduku, whom we spoke to each time we visited. "Teachers had to ask students to carry water from their homes every day. Sometimes, the water that was carried from their homes was not sufficient, so the students had to skip some lessons in order to get water from a nearby spring or the from the secondary school."

"Getting water before was tiresome," said 14-year-old student Sakinah K., whom we interviewed on our first visit to the school. "Carrying water plus books was a tiresome exercise. Sometimes you [would] have to put drinking water in the bag, plus books. At times, before reaching school, the bottle [would open] and all the water [would pour] out on the books. At school, you [would be] punished for being careless. You [would] have to wait for the books to dry before writing your notes. This [would] make you next time not carry your drinking water. You have to bear with the thirst, or borrow water from friends."

But the water situation didn't only affect the students in the morning; it would haunt them through their entire school day.

"At school, you [would] arrive tired, making you not concentrate," Sakinah said. "Sometimes, you [would] doze off because of the tiredness and the fact that you woke up early to look for water before going to school."

But now, all those worries are behind them, and pupils can focus on what matters most.

"[I] am excited that this project was brought to this school," Sakinah said. "We now have water throughout the term. No more carrying water from home. This has helped me have enough time to sleep. I come to school on time, feeling refreshed. I'm alert in class, and this has made my grades improve greatly."

"Now we are sure of the safety of the water at school," said Mr. Nduku. "We are living healthy lives. The cases of absenteeism [have] greatly reduced. This water point has enabled us as a school to grow our own vegetables. These vegetables grow throughout the year. It has helped us to save much as a school."

With more time and energy, Sakinah is now excitedly working toward her future.

"Being [an exam] candidate, I need to have enough time to study in order to pass my exams, which will come before [the] end of this year," Sakinah said. "This water at school has helped me concentrate and study. I no longer worry [about] how I will carry water to school. I have enough time to study, and I know that I will pass with flying colors when the exams come."

Sakinah rinses her hands in the well water.