April, 2023: Shitoto Girls Secondary School Borehole Well Complete!

We are excited to share that Shitoto Girls Secondary School in Kenya now has access to a new, safe, clean water source thanks to the completion of their new borehole well! Students and staff are already using the well’s flowing water, which will provide them with a reliable water source for all of their daily needs.

We also installed new latrines and handwashing stations and trained students and staff on improved sanitation and hygiene practices. Together, these components will unlock the opportunity for these students to live better, healthier lives.

"Being a lady, my lifestyle depends majorly on water for survival and healthy living," said 16-year-old student Angela A., who boards at the school. "Some weekends, we used to go get water from community springs outside the school. This was not safe. Having this water point in the school has brought me so much peace of mind, knowing [I] am not going to face any water shortages for my everyday use. I can now focus my brain and energy on my studies."

Angela pumps water at the new well.

"A lady is respected by the level of cleanliness she maintains and portrays," Angela continued. "I used to do laundry twice a week because there was [a] scarcity of water. During the harsh dry season, water could be rationed. Doing laundry was once a week. Now, I'll be able to do laundry daily after my classes. I plan to be the Sanitation Monitor (Student in Charge of Water and Sanitation) in Form 2. To achieve this, one must portray a high level of maintaining cleanliness."

Teachers were just as excited as the students about the new well on campus.

"No more straining in my life of work," said 35-year-old school administrator Kennedy Otengo. "Being an administrator, I have to make sure everything in the compound runs smoothly: from the grounds being watered to the kitchen having enough water for the day's activities, from cooking for the whole school down to washing all the utensils used around the school. Not only that, before going home, I have to make sure the girls and all the people who board in the school have plenty of water to use throughout the night."

Kennedy pumps water at the new well.

"The girls who board in the school are really happy because they personally told us [they] will no longer have water problems during the night," said our field officer, David.

"I can now go home earlier than usual," Kennedy continued. "With the extra time [on] my hands, I will now have plenty of time for my family, especially my three children. The new syllabus in the primary school requires for us parents to take part in the studies of our children, where they are given homework to come and do together with [their] parents. I will now be able to help my children get good grades, unlike before [when] I used to reach home at ten p.m., when they are already asleep."

How We Got the Water Flowing

Parents, staff, and students all contributed to this well’s success. After determining the best site for the well through a hydrogeological survey, we obtained approval and a license from the government to begin drilling.

To prepare, the school collected fine sand and water for cement-making. When everything was ready, our drill team and staff arrived at the school to begin work.

Students gathered to watch drilling begin.

Drilling commenced with excitement in the air. The team drove down a temporary casing to keep the walls from collapsing as the rig progressed. We continued drilling to reach a final depth of 75 meters with a final static water level of 14 meters.

The drilling process can take up to three consecutive days to complete due to this region’s hard bedrock, so the drill team set up a camp where they could rest and refuel. The school’s kitchen staff and parents helped provide meals for the team, while the school provided a safe place for the artisans’ accommodations and materials.

Once we reached the required depth, the team replaced the temporary casing with a permanent version, then bailed out the dirty water at the bottom of the well. The workers installed pipes, flushed them, tested the well’s yield, and chlorinated the water.

Yield test.

After water treatment, we constructed a cement well pad to seal off the well from any ground-level contaminants. Tiles are installed beneath the spout to protect the cement from the erosive force of the water.

We also included a short drainage channel to carry spilled water away from the pump and prevent standing water. A soak pit absorbs runoff at the end of the drainage channel, further eliminating any stagnant water.

When the well pad was dry, we installed a new stainless steel AfriDev handpump and sampled the water for a quality test. The results showed this water was safe for drinking!

We officially handed over the new borehole to the school’s students and teachers.

Handing-over ceremony.

Students and staff celebrated the presence of clean water on campus. The event was an excellent chance to acknowledge the school administration and students as the primary parties entrusted with the tools we have given and remind them of our continued support as they develop. Happiness, thanksgiving, and appreciation were the order of the day, flowing in all directions.

VIP Latrines

This project funded the installation of six new ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines. These new latrines have cement floors designed to be easy to use and clean, locking doors for safety and privacy, and vents to keep air flowing up and out through the roof. With a well right on school property, there should be enough water to keep them clean.

Handwashing Stations

We set up two handwashing stations outside the latrines and handed them over to the newly formed student health club. Health club members will teach other students how to wash their hands at the stations properly, fill the stations with water, and ensure that there is always a cleaning agent available.

New Knowledge

We scheduled hygiene and sanitation training with the school’s staff, who ensured that the training date would be convenient for pupils and teachers. When the training day arrived, facilitators David, Joyce, Adelaide, Protus, Emma, and Elvine deployed to the site to lead the event. 25 students and teachers attended the training, which we held on the school campus near the new well.

Our training covered several topics, including personal hygiene, oral hygiene, the ten steps of handwashing, environmental hygiene, child rights, leadership, and operation and maintenance of the well and pump, latrines, and handwashing stations.

Students elected their peers to lead their student health club during the leadership session. Members will encourage good health and hygiene practices amongst their peers, teachers, and the larger community. By the end of the training, each pupil understood their role in sustaining clean water and good health within their school community.

Tooth-brushing lesson.

The students' favorite part came during the discussion of personal hygiene, which includes a lesson on washing clothes. The facilitator teaching the lesson used the local word for underpants, which got all the girls laughing.

"[After this], the students became more interested and lively since the facilitator had become one of their own," explained our field officer, David.

Another notable topic was soap-making.

"The students were wowed and amazed by how [easily] one can make a lot of soap with the amount of ingredients we had at hand," field officer David said. "I even overheard a number of students say this is a very good business idea, and to show their interest, with the permission of their teacher, they requested [the] raw materials to go make soap from home. This was a big indicator the training worked and already had a big impact."

"I can now say [I] am a WaSH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) champion," said 15-year-old Celestine A.

Celestine at the well.

"I came to the training with very high expectations that have been met and fulfilled," Celestine continued. "From the first day when the lorries (trucks) came, I was closely following [this project]. All the knowledge and questions I had were answered. [I] am fulfilled. Topping all that, I now know how to make soap on my own. From now henceforth, even when I join the University, if God the Creator gives me an opportunity, I will never buy soap."

Conclusion

This project required a substantial collaboration between our staff, our in-country teams, and the community members. When an issue arises concerning the well, the students and teachers are equipped with the necessary skills to rectify the problem and ensure the water point works appropriately. However, if the issue is beyond their capabilities, they can contact their local field officers to assist them.

Also, we will continue to offer them unmatchable support as a part of our monitoring and maintenance program. We walk with each community, problem-solving together when they face challenges with functionality, seasonality, or water quality. Together, all these components help us strive for enduring access to reliable, clean, and safe water for this community.

With your contribution, one more piece has been added to a large puzzle of water projects. In our target areas, we’re working toward complete coverage of reliable, maintained water sources within a 30-minute round trip for each community, household, school, and health center. With this in mind, search through our upcoming projects to see which community you can help next!

Thank you for making all of this possible!

February, 2023: Shitoto Girls Secondary School New Well Underway!

A severe clean water shortage at Shitoto Girls Secondary 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 this 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!