Ann Has Freedom to Fetch Water Anytime!

October, 2024

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

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Ann. Since then, she and the Museywa Primary School of 420 students have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"I do not worry about safety because the water we use is clean. We have used this water for some time now, yet there have been no cases of sickness caused by the water we use," said Ann.

Before the Well Installation

Like many girls in Kenya, 13-year-old Ann is responsible for collecting water to meet her daily water needs. This negatively affected her before last year's well installation at her school.

The student's previous water source - an unprotected spring.

Drinking the water caused severe consequences. She suffered from waterborne diseases that created health problems, affecting her daily life and lessening her opportunity to be in class and learn. Her access to sufficient water was also a challenge.

"Before this borehole, we used to get water from a nearby spring that we wouldn't fully rely on because it was mostly for use by [the] community members. The difficulty mostly came in when we had restricted time to fetch water, and the community members were not quite understanding to allow us to fetch water if we found them at the spring," shared Ann.

Since the Well Installation

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

A student collects water from the well.

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!"

"There is freedom to fetch water anytime, unlike when we used to depend on the water from the spring. We have enough time to learn and revise for exams instead of walking long distances to fetch water," said Ann.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Ann and the rest of her school. 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 Ann 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.

"I hardly get sick ever since we got this borehole. The extra time I get, I use to revise and interact with my classmates. I'd like to be a teacher when I grow up," said Ann.

Students watering the school garden.

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 Museywa 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 Museywa 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: 434 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Oct 2023

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 11/05/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

Report Submitted by
Rose Serete, Field Officer

The 420 students of Museywa Primary School are all required to contribute water every day to help offset the current water crisis at their school.

Even though there is a 30,000-liter rainwater harvesting tank on the school campus, it does not meet the water needs of the school. When the tank has water, during the short rainy season each year, it quickly runs dry, and students must go to fetch water from the local spring instead.

Older students must come to school by 6 a.m. each morning, drop their school bags, then head directly to the spring for water. The younger students are expected to bring water from home after collecting it from a source near them but carrying heavy water containers is a tiring, difficult task for the smaller, younger students. Sometimes the burden feels like too much, and students choose to skip school instead.

"The current water situation affects me because I am forced to wake up early, go to the spring, fetch water, and [then] go to school. [I] am not happy because I need to carry my books and a jerrycan of water," said 10-year-old Ann M., seen below.

Sadly, even after all of the efforts made by students to collect water, it is still contaminated, so there is a high cost to be paid by anyone who consumes it. Both students and teachers alike miss valuable time in class because they are sick from water-related illnesses.

"Personally, I have always suffered from typhoid, and it is expensive to treat. A lot of money is spent on my medication, and this has led to poor performance in the class that I teach because most of the time I am at home seeking medication," said 36-year-old teacher Geofrey Kipkorir, shown below collecting water at the spring.

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


October, 2023: Museywa Primary School Well Complete!

We are excited to share that Museywa 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 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.


"It will help me have an enjoyable life because [I] am [going to be] free from waterborne diseases. My parents will have peace and save some money because the other times, a lot of money was used for my medication. It will help me have peace of mind when [I'm] at school because [I] am free to play with my friends and also have more time for studies that will impact my term grades positively," said 10-year-old Ann M.

Ann at the new water point.

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

"It will help me reduce chances of getting waterborne diseases and help me create enough time for my job while at school, and this will bear fruit because pupils will perform well. Discipline cases will reduce, and this will help pupils to settle in classes throughout; hence, the school will shine in exams," said 40-year-old teacher Goefrey Kipkorir.

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.

Ground breaking.

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 100 meters with a final static water level of 10 meters.

The drilling process can take up to three consecutive days 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 and 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.

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.

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, Rose and Nelly deployed to the site to lead the event. 19 students and teachers attended the training, which we held under a shade tree in the school compound.

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.

Learning to make soap.

"The most memorable topic was involvement and participation. The trainer asked the participants [about] their role in the project implementation. One participant narrated how they carried bricks and sand and also how they helped in sieving the sand. They were so happy because the project was partly supported by their parents and school administration," said field officer Rose Serete.

"The second most memorable topic was dental hygiene. Some male participants claimed that they chew sugarcane daily to clean their teeth, while others admitted that they used their fingers to brush their teeth. The facilitator urged them that it was important for them to brush correctly and at the right time using toothpaste and toothbrush," concluded Rose.

"I have learned new skills of handwashing techniques and qualities of a good leader, which will help me govern others in a well-coordinated manner when assigned a similar task in our C.T.C. (Child to Child) club," said 14-year-old Leon A.

Leon collecting water.

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 facing functionality, seasonality, or water quality challenges. 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!




September, 2023: Museywa Primary School Well Project Underway!

The lack of adequate water at Museywa Primary School costs students time, energy, and health every single day. Clean water scarcity contributes to community instability and diminishes individuals’ personal progress.

But thanks to your recent generosity, things will soon improve here. We are now working to install a reliable water point and improve hygiene standards. We look forward to sharing inspiring news in the near future!




Project Photos



Contributors

Rotary Club of Chestfield Walk 4 Water 2023
MTY
13 individual donor(s)