Clean Water Helps Tabitha Worry Less!

August, 2024

A year ago, your generous donation helped the St. Pauls Lubinu Day and Boarding Primary School in Kenya access clean water – creating a life-changing moment for Tabitha. Thank you!

Your gift last year unlocked Tabitha's potential for a brighter future. Since then, she and the other St. Paul Lubinu Day and Boarding Primary School students have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"It saves time, no more sickness, and overall hygiene is now easy to maintain," said Tabitha.

Before the Well's Installation

Like many in Kenya, 12-year-old Tabitha is responsible for collecting water to meet her daily water needs. Before last year's water intervention, this task stole her time and negatively affected her.

A student collects water before the well installation.

Limited accessibility meant students wasted time collecting sufficient water to meet their needs. The difficult journey to collect water sapped their physical and emotional energy, creating roadblocks. For Tabitha, in particular, it lessened her opportunity to spend time in class regularly.

"We were going to fetch water from a protected spring outside the school, which was far away, and we lined up for [a] long [time] to fetch water," said Tabitha.

"It was difficult to fetch water from the protected spring because of congestion, and sometimes rains would interrupt the fetching process, and the teachers instructed us to come back."

Since the Well's Installation

Your generous gift last year was much more than a simple donation; it was a powerful statement about your commitment to this school and Tabitha'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!"

"It has changed for the better because we do not fall sick like we used to, [there are] no more cases of stomachaches which interrupted our learning, and we had to stay home," said Tabitha.

"I am not worried anymore. We do not have to go outside the school to fetch water, which is now safe, since we do not have to cross the road," concluded Tabitha.

Tabitha pumping water at the new well.

The Future is Looking Bright!

You made a difference for Tabitha and the rest of her school a year ago. 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 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 Tabitha 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.

"My dream is to help people who are less fortunate in the community because I see a lot of people who are in need, and it hurts that I cannot help them now, but I will in the future," Tabitha said.

Students collect water from the well.

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 St. Pauls Lubinu Day and Boarding 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 St. Pauls Lubinu Day and Boarding 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.

Project Status



Project Type: Borehole Well and Hand Pump

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 1,350 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Jun 2023

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 10/03/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

Report Submitted by
Protus Ekesa, Executive DIrector

No matter how many times students fetch water from the secondary school across the busy market road, they can never get enough to serve the school's 1,308 students and 42 staff. This water crisis is especially acute for those students who board at the school, like Samantha.

"When we wake up in the morning, and there is little water around, we are forced to go to class without taking a bath," Samantha said (she's in the below picture). She explained that this, along with dehydration, affects her concentration in class for the whole day.

The teachers at the school purchase water when they can afford it to avoid typhoid and chronic diarrhea the students suffer. There is not enough water available for proper personal hygiene or sanitation, and what little water they have is stored in jerrycans without being treated.

The school's kitchen goes through a lot of water having to feed so many students. Because there's never enough, students' meals are often delayed, which eats into students' class time...and their playtime.

"Sometimes we extend our lesson to recover wasted time," said Deputy Head Teacher William Ashitiba. "This leaves learners with no time to play, which makes it difficult to identify the students' talents."

Hopefully, by having their own well installed, the students at St. Pauls Lubinu Day and Boarding Primary School can regain their valuable time and begin focusing on learning once again.

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 season.

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 hand-pump. Once finished, the school’s students and staff will use water from the well for drinking, handwashing, cooking, cleaning, and much more.

The school and we 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 unlock the opportunity for these students to live better, healthier lives.

Handwashing Stations

The student health club will oversee two new handwashing stations we will provide and ensure 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

Two triple-door latrine blocks will be constructed with local materials that the school will help gather. Three doors will serve the girls, and three doors will serve the boys. These new latrines will have cement floors designed to be easy to use and clean. And with a new well right on school property, there should be enough water to keep them clean.

Training on Health, Hygiene, 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 disease 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 various 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 home. We will also lead lectures, group discussions and provide illustrative handouts to teach health topics and promote good hygiene practices within the school, including handwashing and water treatment. We will then conduct a series of follow-up training 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


June, 2023: St. Pauls Lubinu Day and Boarding Primary School Well Complete!

We are excited to share that St. Pauls Lubinu Day and Boarding Primary School in Kenya now has access to a new safe water source thanks to the completion of their 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.

Students celebrate clean water!

"I will start by saying thank you for bringing us water in [our] school. For a very long period of time, we have been facing challenges of accessing water. We have been collecting water from a nearby community spring. This has been so challenging because of the large population of community members who [also] use the spring. Collecting water has not been an easy task for us, and this was worse during dry seasons. Teachers on duty were forced to accompany us while going to the spring for our safety there," said 12-year-old Tabitha M.

Students drinking water from the new well.

Tabitha continued: "We will improve in hygiene. Our classrooms and latrines will be cleaned regularly. Also, handwashing stations will be cleaned and filled with water always. We will also start [a] kitchen garden in this school."

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

The well being dedicated.

"With this clean water readily available in school, we will drink it at any given time. Our health will never be compromised, and [with] water being clean, we will not have cases of diarrhoea, typhoid, and any other waterborne diseases. Now that water is collected from the school, we will not waste time going out to look for water, and much time will be channeled to teaching my learners, and they will perform more than they have been performing," said 45-year-old headteacher Mr. William Ashitiba.

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.

Drilling.

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 70 meters with a final static water level of 17 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.

Testing the well's yield.

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.

The completed well.

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

Boys at their completed latrine.

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

Girls at their new handwashing station.

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 Elvine, Adelaid, Faith M., Faith A., Joyce, and Joy deployed to the site to lead the event. 20 students and teachers attended the training, which we held in a classroom.

Training.

We focused on personal, menstrual, oral, and environmental hygiene; proper water handling; soap-making and the ten steps of handwashing; the importance of primary health care, the prevention of teen pregnancy and COVID-19; child rights; the operation and maintenance of the pump, well, latrines, and handwashing stations; and leadership and governance. During the latter, the students elected their peers to lead their newly formed student health club.

The student health club 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 favorite session of the day covered proper borehole maintenance. Those in attendance described how life was very challenging without water in their school and how the borehole answered their prayers. After learning how to care for the new well, they promised to take good care of it, keep it clean, and ensure it operates in good condition.

Learning to make soap.

"WaSH program is key to survival and good health to me and everyone around. We have been facing challenges in ensuring that we practice good hygiene, but today's training has taught me how to go about everything. I will ensure that [the] entire school is sensitized and that child-to-child club is active, and also back at home, I will ensure that I teach my people about cleanliness," said 12-year-old Diana J.

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 Kenya, Uganda, and Sierra Leone, we’re working toward complete coverage. That means 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!




April, 2023: St. Pauls Lubinu Day and Boarding Primary School New Well Underway!

A severe clean water shortage at St. Pauls Lubinu Day and Boarding 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



Contributors

1 individual donor(s)