Clean Water Brings Peace of Mind for Teachers at St. Peters Khaunga Primary School

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Jessica Otwisa. Since then, she and the entire student and teacher body at St. Peter's Khaunga Primary School, with 1,261 students and teachers, have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"What I like about fetching water here now is that it is safe, clean, and nearby. It doesn't take much time, and the children no longer have to struggle or miss class to get water," said Jessica.

Before the Well Installation

Like many teachers in Western Kenya, 50-year-old Jessica Otwisa was responsible for supervising her students as they collected water to meet the school's daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole her and her students' time and negatively affected them.

Students used to have to carry water from home and collect it during their school day.

Drinking the water from the previous water source caused severe consequences. Many in the school suffered from waterborne diseases that created health problems, affecting their daily lives. Limited accessibility also meant people wasted time collecting sufficient water to meet their needs. The difficult journey to collect water sapped their physical and emotional energy, creating roadblocks. For Ms. Otwisa, it lessened her opportunity to provide the students with the type of education she would like.

"Last year, before the drilling of this borehole, we faced serious challenges. The water source was far, contaminated, and unreliable. We had to request students to carry water from home. This made the students arrive late or miss school. Many children frequently fell sick due to unsafe water, which affected their attendance and performance. We also struggled to maintain proper hygiene in the school, especially handwashing and cleaning the latrines," said Ms. Otwisa.

Since the Well Installation

Your generous gift last year was much more than a simple donation; it was a powerful statement about your commitment to this community and Jessica’s future. By supporting the water solution, you made clean water an everyday reality, fostering hope for a brighter future.

Reliable and clean water lays the groundwork for improved health, education, and economic possibilities, allowing people to thrive. We frequently hear from those we interview that "water is life!"

"We can easily access enough water for drinking, cooking, and maintaining hygiene in the school. It has made our work easier and created a healthier environment for everyone," Ms. Otwisa shared.

She continued: "Since the water project was implemented, my health and the health of our learners have greatly improved. We no longer experience frequent waterborne illness like before. With access to clean and safe water, we can practice proper hygiene consistently which has reduced sickness and absenteeism. Because of this improvement, I have been able to focus more on teaching without constant interruptions due to illness. The learners are more energetic and attentive in class. Before, many activities were limited by water shortages, but now we can maintain cleanliness, support school feeding programs, and create a healthier learning environment."

"The best thing about living with clean water is the peace of mind it brings. We no longer worry about our children getting sick from unsafe water. Clean water has improved our health, hygiene, and overall well-being. It has given us more time to focus on teaching and learning instead of struggling to find water. It truly feels like a new beginning for our school and community," she declared.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Ms. Otwisa and her students. This is just the first chapter of their story as access to clean water continues to improve their lives!

At The Water Project, we value sustainability and want to ensure that people continue to thrive. We commit to monitoring this project to ensure the water is always flowing and safe to consume. We inspect system hardware, monitor water availability, conduct sanitary inspections, and collect water-quality samples to identify risks. We work with our on-the-ground team to resolve them.

You gave her a crucial tool for achieving her dreams: access to clean water. Together, we can excitedly expect that with this precious resource, her enthusiasm and courage will help her fulfill her dreams for herself and her students.

"The students' lives have become much easier because they now have reliable access to clean water. They no longer spend long hours fetching water before or after school, which means they arrive on time and have more energy to focus in class. Cases of waterborne diseases have reduced, so absenteeism has decreased. The learners are healthier, more confident, and able to participate fully in school activities," noted Ms. Otwisa.

"Our lives as teachers have become much easier because we now have reliable access to clean water at the school."

With more time and resources available, things have improved.

"The school has made several exciting developments. A new building has been constructed, providing more space for learning activities. The health club is more active, with more students wanting to get involved. These improvements were made possible by access to clean water [and] have created a better learning environment and strengthened the sense of community in our school," Ms. Otwisa proudly shared.

Ms. Otwisa washes her hands.