Rehabilitation Project
We are happy to share this report written directly from our partners in Kenya.
A.C.K CHEPSAITA SECOUNDARY SCHOOL WATER PROJECT
- VILLAGE : CHEPKEMEL
- LOCATION : CHEPSAITA
- SUB-LOCATION : CHEPSAITA
- DIVISION : TURBO
- DISTIRCT : TURBO
- COUNTY : NANDI
BACKGROUND
A.C.K Chepsaita Secondary School is a mixed Day –Boarding school on the boarders of Uashingishu county (Nandi county and Kakamega county). The School started in 1998 under the sponsorship of Chepsaita Anglican Church of Kenya Eldoret Diocese. The main objective was to provide secondary education to both young boys and girls in the entire area as well as from it’s neighboring community. A.C.K. Chepsaita is 2020 meters above the sea level constructed on the slopes of the Chepkemel hills.
CURRENT WATER SOURCE
Currently the students fetch water from an unprotected spring within the valleys in the school compound. Water from the stream records turbidity value of 80 below the (WHO) parameters of quality water for human consumption. Water surface is covered with algae. The school’s lack of access to clean safe water is hence interfering with the children’s education.
Water born diseases have been reported at the school, such as amoebas and typhoid. During the dry season, the unprotected spring dries up and students are compelled to walk long distances, as far as 1 & 1/2 km from the school compound. The school management has to hire a donkey to fetch water for use in the school kitchen. The day scholars (children who are not boarding) have to carry jerri cans of water from their homes every day they go to school and the water sources they are collecting from near their homes is also questionable in its safety for consumption.
POPULATION
The school records a total enrollment of 340 students, 140 are Boarders, 50 Boys and 90 Girls. There are also 200 students who are day scholars. There are 13 Teachers and 9 support staff. Therefore the school has a population of 362 people.
HYGIENE & SANITATION
The school has permanent classrooms, which are washed once per week, a kitchen with improved modern stoves for economical fuel consumption with good ventilation and the floor is cleaned on a daily basis. There are permanent pit latrines: 6 doors for boys, 6 doors for girls, 4 pit latrines for teachers, which are washed on daily basis. There were no hand washing stations found outside the toilets. Not one clothesline could be found on the school grounds. This means that children are laying their clothes to dry on the floor or on rocks, which is unsanitary as there can be roaming livestock that enter the school grounds. There is a compost pit where litter is dumped, so there was not much rubbish found amongst the school grounds.
ACCESSING THE NEED
There is need to drill a reliable borehole in this school, so as to be able to provide quality drinking water as well as provide sufficient amounts of water for domestic needs, such as washing, bathing and cooking. This school is also in need of a hygiene and sanitation training with the aim of improving sanitation conditions and hygiene practices for the children and staff workers. A borehole in this school will also relieve day students from carrying water everyday long distances from home and from questionable sources. Once the water burden is literally lifted from the students heads, they will be able to rise up in various ways, such as academically but also allow them time to simply be children and enjoy themselves.
PROJECT BENEFICIARIES
If the borehole is drilled, A.C.K Chepsaita students and teachers will be the direct beneficiaries whereas the church and surrounding community will benefit indirectly.
WATER COMMITTEE
The school board of management is organized and ready to take responsibility of the water supply as well as the operations and maintenance to ensure the sustainability of their school water point. Bridge Water Project staff will train the entire school on water sanitation and hygiene simultaneously while the well is being drilled.
HYGIENE AND SANITATION TRAINING
Like any other schools, Chepsaita Secondary school is not left out as one of the schools that need a proper training on good practices of hygiene and sanitation. Going by the baseline survey that was carried out in the school, most students and teachers don’t observe the proper hygiene and sanitation practices. Taking bath at Chepsaita Secondary school student has been a great challenge due to lack of water within the school compound. It has been reported that stomach problem has been the great challenge because of taking directly the contaminated water from the stream. The school does not have enough hand washing stations and even the one that is availableit’s only for the teachers.
A part from drilling borehole that is anticipated to help improve the situation of the school, BWP community education team had to train the students and teachers on good hygiene and sanitation practices. The training targeted the health club of the school which will later disseminate the information to the other pupils.
The health club comprised of boys and girls who were of form two and three students. Some of the topics learned during the training were;
- Hand washing.
- Importance of using a latrine.
- Why some people don’t use latrines.
- Transmission of diseases by flies.
- Safe water, its handling and treatment.
The students were able to learn the importance of being clean and the risk of failure to wash hands and their importance. By so doing, a demonstration on proper hand washing was done. The pupils learned that hands must be washed by use of soap or ash. The pupils discussed on the critical moments of washing hands. Some of the moments analyzed were;
I. After visiting the toilets.
II. Before and after eating.
III. After work.
IV. After changing the nappies of the young ones.
V. After playing.
As a result of the discussions, the student learned that drinking water should be kept separate and that water should be treated before consumption.
After the training was done one of the pupils thanked the Bridge Water Project for training them in which will bring great impact.
PHASE 2 DRIILLING PROCESS
BWP drilling team mobilized the machine to the site and set the rig at recommended point to start drilling. Drilling started the following day by mud drilling to 10m where a rock was encountered. This made the drillers to insert service casings and start using air to penetrate to the rock. The first aquifer was struck at 14M. During this process a hard rock was encountered that made the penetration harder. The second aquifer was struck at 21M, and drilling continued to 26M.Casing was done successfully to the bottom using 5 inch casings. During this activity of casing installation stage, no challenge was experienced, the casing stood to the final depth of the borehole then gravel was inserted. The borehole was developed until water was clear.
CONSTRUCTION REPORT
After drilling was done, the construction team mobilized to the school to construct the well pad. Cement, sand, bricks, wire mesh, ballast and water were used during the process. The process took 2 days because of the rainy season. The school management provided meals for the team (both breakfast and lunch). The well was left to cure for three days.
PUMP INSTALLATION AND HANDING OVER.
After the well pad of the school had cured up, the next activity was to install pump and hand over the water to the school.
During the process of pump installation, the pupils and teachers of this school were right there at the site to witness what was going on. Judging on their faces, they all seemed to be eagerly waiting for the dream they never believed it will one day come true. Some student would ask questions that were meant to assure them if the water would finally flow and after how many days. Fortunately, the service men responded to their questions by assuring them that the long awaited dream will be true in due time.
After the well was installed with the affridev pump, the administration of the school requested for a handing of which was done immediately. The pupils sung songs of praise to God thanking him for providing water to them by the help of the water project. The principal of the school thanked the water project organization through the bridge water project for helping the school have an access to clean and safe water. The Principal further promised on behalf of the water committee of the school that they shall take care of the project so as to serve many generations to come.
THANKS TO THE WATER PROJECT!!
