Project Status



Project Type:  Borehole Well and Hand Pump

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 621 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Apr 2023

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 10/02/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

Report Submitted by
Jemimah Khasoha Itovolwa, Community Engagement Officer

Shanda Primary School has two rainwater tanks on its campus, but they are mostly non-functional. As a result, the 602 students are forced to collect water from a nearby stream or carry water from home to meet their daily water needs.

The stream is far away from the school, and with so much energy spent collecting water, students do not have time to learn, and their academics suffer.

But missed learning time during the school day while they are out collecting water is not the only problem.

Students are also missing time due to persistent water-related illnesses from drinking the contaminated water they work so hard to collect, spiking the pupils' absenteeism. Their families also feel the burden when parents must choose to inevitably forego something else in order to get their children needed medication or medical care, straining their already limited resources.

"We have been struggling to meet the datelines for finishing the syllabus. It becomes very sad and hard to educate [a] few pupils when others are at home. We are forced to have remedials (study groups) up to Sunday so as to recover the wasted time," 44-year-old teacher Amos Munyasa (shown below).

"I feel very sad to miss school for more than three days in a month just because either [I] am sick or my sibling is sick," said 13-year-old Jane Achieng (shown below). "The water we [drink] is not good, and it makes me not like school because it is hectic to go to the spring. I get back to school very tired from the spring, and concentrating in class becomes hard."

The students, teachers, and families at Shanda Primary School are desperate for clean water. With clean water on their school campus, everyone's health should improve, and hopefully, students can get back to learning, and families will maintain the resources necessary to progress.

What We Can Do:

New Well

We conducted a hydrogeological survey at this school and the results indicated the water table beneath it is an ideal candidate for a borehole well. Due to a borehole well's unique ability to tap into a safe, year-round water column, it will be poised to serve all of the water needs for this school's large population, even through the dry months.

The school will help collect the needed construction materials such as sand, rocks, and water for mixing cement. They will also provide housing and meals for the work team, in addition to providing local laborers. We will complement their materials by providing an expert team of artisans and drilling professionals, tools, hardware, and the hand-pump. Once finished, water from the well will then be used by the school’s students and staff for drinking, handwashing, cooking, cleaning, and much more.

Handwashing Stations

The student health club will oversee the two new handwashing stations we will provide, and make sure they are kept clean and in working condition. The club leaders will fill the handwashing stations with water daily and make sure they are always supplied with a cleaning agent such as soap or ash.

VIP Latrines

We will construct two triple-door latrine blocks using local materials that the school will help gather. Three doors will serve the girls and three doors will serve the boys. All of these new latrines will have cement floors that are designed to be easy to use and to clean. And with a borehole right on school property, there should be enough water to keep them clean.

Training on Health, Hygiene, COVID-19, and More

We will hold a one-day intensive training session with students, teachers, and parents. This training will cover a wide range of topics including COVID-19 symptoms, transmission routes, and prevention; personal and environmental hygiene; and the operation and maintenance of the borehole, latrines, and handwashing stations. There will be a special emphasis on handwashing.

Our team of facilitators will use a variety of methods to train, including participatory hygiene and sanitation transformation, and asset-based community development. We will initiate a student health club, which will prepare students to lead other pupils into healthy habits at school and at home. We will also lead lectures, group discussions, and provide illustrative handouts to teach health topics and ways to promote good hygiene practices within the school including handwashing and water treatment. We will then conduct a series of follow-up trainings before transitioning to our regularly scheduled support visits throughout the year.

We and the school strongly believe that all of these components will work together to improve standards at this school, which will help lead to better student academic performance and will help unlock the opportunity for these students to live better, healthier lives.

Project Updates


April, 2023: Shanda Primary School Borehole Well Complete!

We are excited to share that Shanda Primary 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.

"Access to reliable safe water in this school is the biggest achievement we have ever had," said 12-year-old Delquine T. "My life will be impacted positively because I will no longer waste time going to look for water during breaks, lunch, and evening times. I will focus on my studies, have time to play with my fellow pupils, and also engage in co-curriculum activities."

Delquine fetching water.

She continued: "Since the water will be available freely, frequently, and sufficiently, I will be able to finish my cleaning tasks in time, and we will be able to have time to engage in co-curriculum activities. This is done mostly during the games or evening hours. Initially, our routine was to go look for water, but now this time will be used well for us."

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

"Even though [I] am retiring soon, I have been the sanitation teacher in this school, and [the] lack of water has made us go through a lot of pain," said teacher Rachel Kilonzo. "As a teacher, I have been having a rough time with water and also accomplishing my duties."

Rachel at the new pump.

"Most pupils come to school late due to lack of water," Rachel continued. "Some come with wet books because the distance they cover and the water they carry wets their books. This always made me feel pain. Right now, I am so happy that we will no longer face this challenge because the good Lord has remembered us. We will no longer waste time waiting for pupils to arrive at school late. As teachers, we will not go thirsty because we have clean and safe water within our reach, and anytime we can get it. Now that there is sufficient water on the school compound, we shall improve our performance, for we will have enough time with our pupils. Our classrooms will be cleaned with water and soap on [a] weekly basis."

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.

The school community gathered for a ground-breaking ceremony and prayer.

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.

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 82 meters with a final static water level of 75 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.

Constructing the well pad.

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. 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.

"The school cooperated very well, and it made work so easy," said our field officer, Jemimah. "The teachers and the children were called and assembled at the water point. The field officer reminded them of the maintenance procedures and the precautions on mishandling the pump. After all had been said, the field officer released the project to the school by allowing them to use the water for the benefit of all. The whole school was so happy to receive the project and promised to take good care [of it] for long-term sustainability."

VIP Latrines

Boys at their new latrine. Don't you think this looks like an amazing album cover?

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 Jemimah and Victor deployed to the site to lead the event. 23 students and teachers attended the training, which we held on the school compound, not too far from the 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.

A group photo of all the training participants.

The students were so excited about the newly formed student health club. They decided to use the club's resources to begin a school-wide tree nursery, for which they were already transplanting trees by the end of the training day.

"The training was so educative that personally, I have added a skill on myself," said teacher Rachel (quoted earlier). "As [I] am going for retirement next year, I have been empowered to make soap, and this will keep me busy when [I] am on my retirement. It is not only a skill, but an income-generating activity, and also an exercise that will keep me fit as I will have left teaching."

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!




March, 2023: Shanda Primary School New Well Underway!

A severe clean water shortage at Shanda 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 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!




Project Photos


Project Type

Abundant water is often right under our feet! Beneath the Earth’s surface, rivers called aquifers flow through layers of sediment and rock, providing a constant supply of safe water. For borehole wells, we drill deep into the earth, allowing us to access this water which is naturally filtered and protected from sources of contamination at the surface level. First, we decide where to drill by surveying the area and determining where aquifers are likely to sit. To reach the underground water, our drill rigs plunge through meters (sometimes even hundreds of meters!) of soil, silt, rock, and more. Once the drill finds water, we build a well platform and attach a hand pump. If all goes as planned, the community is left with a safe, closed water source providing around five gallons of water per minute! Learn more here!


Clean Water Improves Precious' Health!

May, 2024

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

Keeping The Water Promise

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

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Shanda 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!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Precious. Since then, she and the Shanda Primary School of 602 students have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

Before the Well's Installation
Fifteen-year-old Precious recalled what life was like at her school before their well was installed last year.

"I had many health problems courtesy of the water we used to drink at school before the project was built to [the] point where I felt I was created to be a host for all sorts of waterborne and water-related disease. Diarrheal diseases were a common thing with me, and this greatly impacted my general class performance," shared Precious.

"It was worse than a life term imprisonment. I dreaded moments of walking to the stream because of the distance. Then, the thought of the number of water users that rely on the same stream for survival would send me to tears instantly. But with no alternative, I still braved the distance and the terrain and got water to school," continued Precious.

The old water source before the well installation.

Since the Well's Installation
Collecting water is now simple and less emotionally and physically draining for Precious and the other students.

"I love the fact that the water is always available anytime. Secondly, it's at the doorstep, and I don't get to stress about distance. Finally, it's clean and safe," Precious declared.

Having ready access to water from the well has made a difference for Precious, allowing her to improve her personal hygiene and academic experience.

"The best thing about living with clean and safe water is the peace of mind that comes with realizing that you are healthy and no longer a customer to the health facilities. Since the water project was implemented, I have not been to the hospital for medication," said Precious.

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

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

"My academic graph took an upward trajectory since the water point was installed. [I'm] still hopeful that I will take it higher in the coming school term," said Precious.

The Future is Looking Bright!

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

You gave Precious 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.

"Wah!! I have got dreams. My parents are farmers, so with their cry for better fertilizer for the farms at home, I have a dream of being the biggest producer of organic manure," concluded Precious.

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 Shanda 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 Shanda 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

1 individual donor(s)