Project Status



Project Type:  Rainwater Catchment

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 500 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Dec 2018

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 02/10/2024

Project Features


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Shihalia Primary School was established in 1972 as a community school sponsored by the Church of God. Presently it has 542 pupils, out of which 241 are boys and 301 are girls.

On a normal day, the pupils report to school at 7am. They clean the school compound and then proceed to the morning assembly at 7:30am.

At the assembly, the students participate in a session of praise songs, followed by the sharing of God's word. Prayers are made before announcements by the teachers.

Morning classes start at 8am and last up to 12:30pm. Then the pupils break for an hour to have lunch. Afternoon classes begin at 1:45pm and end at 3:30pm.

Thereafter, they proceed to game time. The day ends at 4:30pm, after the students gather for a final evening assembly.

Water

When it rains the pupils collect water from the roof catchment. When it does not, the pupils carry water from their homes using plastic containers.

Large plastic jerrycans are generally used for gathering water. Some have covers whereas some do not. The gathered water is stored in plastic containers or buckets. The uncovered water from an unsafe source has a high risk of contamination and infecting the students with waterborne diseases.

Sanitation

There are not enough latrines for the school population and it has resulted in pupils wasting a lot of time queuing during break time to go to the bathroom.

The existing latrines are in very bad condition. A good number have broken doors, denying the pupils privacy when answering nature’s call.

Most of the latrines at the school are nearly full. The toilets are smelly and the floors are worn out. The pupils walk on the floors with bare feet, exposing them to infections and injury.

The school has one handwashing facility, in the form of a 5-liter plastic container.

"It is a high time the school got the toilets and water tank or else the school be closed down by the Department of Public Health," Deputy Headteacher Mrs. Eunice Angweye exclaimed. She continued to say that we came at just the right time.

By installing the water tank and latrines at the school, it is expected that the students will have sufficient time to concentrate on their studies. The sanitation and health standards in the school will gradually improve. Consequently, their academic performance will improve tremendously.

Here’s what we’re going to do about it:

Training

Training will be held for two days. The facilitator will use PHAST (participatory hygiene and sanitation transformation), ABCD (asset-based community development), CTC (child to child), lectures, group discussions, and handouts to teach health topics and ways to promote good practices within the school. The CTC method will prepare students to lead other students into healthy habits, as well as kickstart a CTC club for the school.

Handwashing Stations

This CTC club will oversee the new facilities, such as handwashing stations, and make sure they are kept clean and in working condition. The two handwashing stations will be delivered to the school, and the club will fill them with water on a daily basis and make sure there is always a cleaning agent such as soap or ash.

VIP Latrines

Two triple-door latrines will be constructed with local materials that the school will help gather. Three doors will serve the girls while the other three serve the boys. And with a new source of water on school grounds, students and staff should have enough to keep these new latrines clean.

Rainwater Catchment Tank

A 50,000-liter rainwater catchment tank will help alleviate the water crisis at this school. The school will also help gather the needed materials such as sand, rocks, and water from the spring for mixing cement. Once finished, this tank can begin catching rainfall that will be used by the school’s students and staff.

We and the school strongly believe that with this assistance, standards will significantly improve. These higher standards will translate to better academic performance!

Project Updates


October, 2019: Giving Update: Shihalia Primary School

A year ago, your generous donation helped Shihalia Primary School in Kenya access clean water.

There’s an incredible community of monthly donors who have come alongside you in supporting clean water at Shihalia Primary School. Month after month, their giving supports ongoing sustainability programs that help this school maintain access to safe, reliable water. Read more…




December, 2018: Shihalia Primary School Project Complete

There is a new rainwater catchment system at Shihalia Primary School! Students have a source of safe, clean water thanks to your support. Handwashing stations were installed so that students can clean up after using their new latrines, and students and staff have received training in sanitation and hygiene.

New Knowledge

Headteacher Mr. Sabwa Howard helped us organize for our hygiene and sanitation training. Teachers helped him select participants from standards four to six. We and 21 students representatives met in an empty classroom during the normal school day. The headteacher himself attended, too.

The participants actively participated in the training session, asking many questions to seek clarification on water, hygiene and sanitation. They appreciated the uniqueness of the training, since this was practical and easily applicable in each student's life.

The school needed to be equipped with knowledge on how to improve standards of hygiene and to ensure that the sanitation facilities given to them are well-maintained for years to come. Some of the topics we covered included water pollution and treatment methods, handwashing, dental hygiene, operations and maintenance of the facilities, group dynamics, and leadership and governance. These leadership activities segued into establishment of a student health club and the election of its leaders. This club will share the message of good hygiene and health that students learned during training.

New toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste!

Handwashing Stations

Pupils can now enjoy washing their hands with soap thanks to the two handwashing stations that were delivered to their school. These new handwashing opportunities will help reduce cases of hygiene-related illness. The training on hygiene has motivated these students to share what they’ve learned with their peers at school and families at home.

VIP Latrines

This project funded the installation of six new ventilated improved pit latrines. These were all given to the female students since they had the greatest need. All of these new latrines have cement floors that are easy to use and clean. And with a rainwater catchment tank, there should be enough water to keep them clean all the time.

Rainwater Catchment Tank

Construction for this 50,000-liter rainwater catchment tank was successful!

"I am really delighted at such a project at our school. The facilities are excellent," commented Mrs. Eunice Akweye, the sanitation teacher.

"Our school looks better and the sanitation standards at the school will no doubt really improve for the better."

The Process:

Our staff and the school administration started by looking around the school to determine the best location for their new rainwater catchment tank. This needed to be the best site with good, clean roofing to catch the rainwater. Then, we cleared the site: excavating the soil within the required measurements to make level ground for the tank foundation. The foundation was cast by laying stones on a level ground and then reinforcing it using steel, concrete and waterproof cement.

Both the drawing pipe as well as the washout pipe were affixed as the foundation was lain. The wall was built with ferro-cement techniques through six layers. The inner wall was plastered while rough casting was done on the outer part.

The catchment area was dug, plastered, and a staircase installed so students can easily get water from the tap.

Dome construction could begin after the superstructure had been given enough time to settle. The manhole cover was fitted, inlet pipes were connected to the roof gutters, inlet screens, ventilation pipes (breathers) and overflow pipes were all done to standard.

Once finished, the tank was given three weeks to undergo complete curing before it was cleaned and handed over to Shihalia Primary School, though we will continue to offer them unmatchable support as a part of our monitoring and maintenance program.

Initially, the pupils carried water from their homes to school for cleaning, washing and other uses. This was tiring them and robbing them of sufficient time to concentrate on their academic performance. In addition, the quality of water from their various homes could not be ascertained. That has all changed. Shihalia Primary School now has good water and sanitation facilities!




October, 2018: Shihalia Primary School Project Underway

A severe clean water shortage Shihalia Primary School drains students’ time, energy, and health. Thanks to your generosity, we’re working to install a clean water point and much more.

Get to know your school through the introduction and pictures we’ve posted, and read about this water, sanitation and hygiene project. We look forward to reaching out with more good news!




Project Photos


Project Type

For a rainwater collection system, we build gutters around a building with good, clean roofing to channel rain where we want it. From there, the water falls through a filtered inlet pipe into a high-capacity storage tank, the size of which is based on population and average rainfall patterns. In the tank, water can be stored for months, where it is easily treated and accessed. Learn more here!


Giving Update: Shihalia Primary School

October, 2019

A year ago, your generous donation helped Shihalia Primary School in Kenya access clean water – creating a life-changing moment for Joan Ilakosa. Thank you!

Keeping The Water Promise

There's an incredible community of monthly donors who have come alongside you in supporting clean water in Shihalia Primary School.

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Shihalia Primary School maintain access to safe, reliable water. Together, they keep The Water Promise.

We’re confident you'll love joining this world-changing group committed to sustainability!

At Shihalia Primary School, after receiving their WaSH facilities last year things have really changed for the better.

Initially, the pupils at the school used to bring water from an off-site spring. They wasted a lot of valuable time looking for water that was meant for studies. General cleanliness, on the other hand, was not an easy task because of the lack of water. However, now the story has changed and Shihalia Primary School has improved their access to clean and safe water so that the pupils can now concentrate on studying.

"The project has really improved our image and changed our status in this community," said Deputy Head Teacher Mrs. Eunice Khatunyi.

"The school has increased population. Many pupils from neighboring schools that have no safe water facilities in their schools are moving to our school. Initially, a lot of time was being wasted in search of water. We are really grateful for the project, [and] we thank God for the provision of sanitation facilities."

Deputy Head Teacher Mrs. Eunice Khatunyi with pre-primary students at the back of the rain tank

14-year-old Joan Ilakosa also shared her perspective on how these projects have impacted her time at school as a student.

"In the past, we used to go to the river to fetch water and wasted a lot of time instead of studying. Now we have enough water for studying. We never used to wash our hands after visiting [the] toilet due to lack of water and handwashing facilities. Now we enjoy cleaning our classrooms daily, washing toilets and washing our hands after visiting the toilets."

Deputy Head Teacher Khatunyi with Joan and Field Officer Mary Afandi at the rain tank


Navigating through intense dry spells, performing preventative maintenance, conducting quality repairs when needed and continuing to assist community leaders to manage water points are all normal parts of keeping projects sustainable. The Water Promise community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Shihalia Primary School maintain access to safe, reliable water.

We’d love for you to join this world-changing group committed to sustainability.

The most impactful way to continue your support of Shihalia Primary School – and hundreds of other places just like this – is by joining our community of monthly givers.

Your monthly giving will help provide clean water, every month... keeping The Water Promise.


Contributors

Project Sponsor - Pineapple Fund