Giving Update: Esibeye Primary School

Life at Esibeye Primary School looks much different today than it did about a year ago when we first installed their new rain tank and sanitation projects.

On a recent visit to the school, we saw how students now access water from a central point where it is filtered using LifeStraw devices. This has helped in managing class time and preventing outbreaks of waterborne diseases in the school. The tank water has greatly boosted hygiene in the school through hand washing, cleaning of classrooms, and latrine use.

Head Teacher Peter Oluchiri welcomed us and shared how these projects have altered life for his students and staff.

"Few children now contract waterborne diseases because [our] water is treated, and they also apply the good knowledge they learned from the WaSH training on good hygiene," Peter said.

"The school took an initiative to buy [materials] that they use to treat water by themselves. There is an improvement in efficiency because no time is wasted to fetch water from outside the school. Latrines are now de-congested and there is fast movement by pupils during breaks. The handwashing facilities donated by [you] have improved the school hygiene, and the school purchased one extra handwashing facility to supplement the ones they got with the [original] project."

Head Teacher Peter Oluchiri

14-year-old student Angela Anjou is responsible for overseeing the good use and maintenance of both the water tank and filtration systems at school.  After walking us through demonstrations of how to properly use both, Angela shared how these projects have personally impacted her at school.

"[We] now drink clean water, use clean water to wash fruits, and clean water is used to cook [our] food. The tank water is safe from waterborne diseases and the water is also treated...Students now use their time well to study," Angela said.

Angela smiles next to Peter

Angela told us this extra study time has personally helped her improve in Mathematics, increasing her grade from 42% to 60%. She said this improvement is because she now has adequate time for revision. Angela also noted that the girls at schools also feel so good about the water because it is used for handwashing.

They no longer have a water crisis or quarrels with villagers who used to scramble for water with them at the spring before the tank was constructed.

Field Officer Erick and Peter

Esibeye Primary put the right measures in place to ensure that their new water source is used properly. Currently, no pupil is allowed to collect drinking water directly from the tap but from the LifeStraw gadgets where it is filtered. They have also ensured that handwashing facilities are refilled using a hosepipe so that children are kept off from any wanton damage of the tank apparatuses.

By and large, the school is doing very well in tank management and water conservation, and we see many promising actions that will help to ensure the longevity of these projects.

Angela and Peter using the LifeStraw filters