Project Status



Project Type:  Borehole Well and Hand Pump

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 555 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Sep 2025

Functionality Status:  Functional

Project Features


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Tumbeni Primary School has 535 students and 20 staff members who all struggle to access safe, sufficient water. The borehole near the school experiences frequent breakdowns and provides contaminated water.

The non-functional well.

"The water from this borehole is not clear, especially during the rainy seasons. It turns brown in color. The taste of the water is metallic, meaning it is not good for human consumption. The rods installed many years ago have rusted, and it has mechanical issues," shared Field Officer Nelly Chebet.

"Water-related illnesses have been reported by both the teachers and the pupils. Last term, they had so many complaints from pupils, which made them be sent to their parents and were taken to the hospital, and it was discovered that they had taken contaminated water," Nelly continued.

Their only other option is for students to bring water from home.

52-year-old Headteacher Enos Nalwa has seen it time and again.

Headteacher Enos Nalwa.

"Towards [the] end of last term, many pupils were complaining of stomach pain. The pupils did not even do their exams because they were not comfortable with the pain. However, they were taken to the hospital by their parents, and it was discovered that they [had] taken contaminated water. As the school headteacher, it impacted me negatively to see my pupils suffering," he shared.

"The learners and teachers miss lessons due to absenteeism as a result of sickness. This results to poor academic performance [for] the learners because much of the time is spent at home resting for the bodies to heal," he continued.

When sickness is introduced due to unsafe water, the whole school suffers. Families have to use their precious income to pay for medical treatment. The devastation caused by water-related illnesses knows no bounds.

A source students collect water from to be used at school.

Mr. Nalwa has to watch his students and staff suffer. Students cannot reach their full potential, as all their time is spent collecting water or reeling from its side effects.

"[The] unreliable water source has been so challenging. The teacher on duty has to ration the water used by the learners while cleaning their classrooms to minimize moving out of the school compound. Staff are being affected by water-related illnesses, which affect their work delivery," Mr. Nalwa continued.

Installing a new well on the Tumbeni Primary School campus will revitalize the student body and their ability to get a well-rounded education. Then, Headteacher Enos Nalwa can ensure his school thrives and increases enrollment, giving it a brighter future.

Steps Toward a Solution

Our technical experts worked with the local community to identify the most effective solution to their water crisis. They decided to drill a borehole well, construct a platform for the well, and attach a hand pump.

Well
Abundant water often lies just beneath our feet. Aquifers—natural underground rivers—flow through layers of sediment and rock, offering a constant supply of safe water. A borehole well is drilled deep into the earth to access this naturally filtered and protected water. We penetrate meters, sometimes even hundreds of meters, of soil, silt, rock, and more to reach the water underground. Once found, we construct a platform for the well and attach a hand pump. The community gains a safe, enclosed water source capable of providing approximately five gallons of water per minute. Learn more here!

Handwashing Stations
Alongside each water source, we install two gravity-fed handwashing stations, enabling everyone at the school to wash their hands. Handwashing is crucial for preventing water-related illnesses within the school and community. Student “health clubs” maintain the stations, fill them with water, and supply them with soap, which we often teach them how to make.

Latrines
We will construct two Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) latrine blocks designed to prevent fecal disease transmission. Each latrine features a cement floor, making it easy to use and clean regularly. Three stalls will serve the girls, and three will serve the boys.

School Education & Ownership
Hygiene and sanitation training are integral to our water projects. Training is tailored to each school's specific needs and includes key topics such as proper water handling, improved hygiene practices, disease transmission prevention, and care of the new water point.

To ensure a lasting impact, we support forming a student health club composed of elected student representatives and a teacher. These clubs promote hygiene practices schoolwide and keep handwashing stations well-stocked. This student-led model encourages a sense of ownership and responsibility.

Safe water and improved hygiene habits foster a healthier future for everyone in the school and the surrounding community.

Project Updates


September, 2025: Tumbeni Primary School Well Complete!

Your contribution has given access to clean water for the Tumbeni Primary School in Kenya, thanks to the completion of their borehole well! Clean flowing water is already making a difference in the lives of the students and staff. This will provide them with a reliable water source for their daily needs.

We installed new latrines and handwashing stations, then trained students and staff on improved sanitation and hygiene practices. Together, these components will unlock the opportunity for these students to thrive!

"Finally, I am relieved that I will not have to carry a heavy jerrican of water and my school bag all the way to school. Now, my bag will feel so much lighter. Since I will no longer be tired, I will have more energy to focus in class, understand my lessons well, and even play with my friends during break time," exclaimed 8-year-old Rebecca.

"My siblings and I get sick frequently with stomachache and diarrhoea, and my mother has to take us for treatment, and this costs money for consultation and medicine. Now that the school has reliable, safe, and clean water, we will not get sick as often. This means fewer trips to the clinic and less money spent on medical bills by my mother," Rebecca continued.

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

"With readily available clean and safe water, I anticipate fewer disruptions in class due to pupils needing to fetch water or falling ill from waterborne illnesses. This will create a more stable and focused learning environment, allowing me to teach more effectively and cover the curriculum thoroughly," 56-year-old senior teacher Leonidah Nyangasi shared.

How We Got the Water Flowing

The first step was to conduct a hydrogeological survey to determine the the best site for the school's well. Once we found the perfect spot, the team obtained approval from the government to begin drilling.

Parents, staff, and students all contributed to this well’s success, right from the start. To prepare for the well, 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 started with excitement in the air. We continued drilling to reach a final depth of 60 meters with a final static water level of 12.5 meters.

The drilling process can take up to three consecutive days to complete due to this region’s hard bedrock, so the 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 optimum depth, the team inserted permanent casing, 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.

We constructed a cement well pad to seal it off from any ground-level contaminants. Tiles were installed beneath the spout to protect the cement from the erosive force of the water. We included a short drainage channel and a soak pit to prevent standing water.

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

We officially gave ownership of 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, and remind them of our continued support. 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. They have locking doors for safety and privacy, as well as vents to keep air flowing 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. Student 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 soap available.

School Education

We scheduled hygiene and sanitation training with the school’s staff. When the training day arrived, facilitators Christine Masinde and Samuel Simidi deployed to the site to lead the event. 27 students and teachers attended the training.

We emphasized personal, menstrual, oral, and environmental hygiene. Proper water handling, soap-making, the ten steps of handwashing, and the importance of primary health care were discussed. We covered disease prevention, teen pregnancy, and child rights. Waterpoint, latrine, and handwashing station operation and maintenance, as well as leadership and governance were discussed. By the end of the training, each pupil understood their role in sustaining clean water and good health within their school community.

Soapmaking session.

The students elected 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.

Handwashing session.

"The participants were actively involved in the training, and they participated in the demonstrations willingly. The fact that they asked questions and sought clarifications signified that the participants were paying attention to the training content. It also indicated that they felt comfortable enough to interact openly," shared Field Officer Christine Masinde.

John.

"The most interesting thing for me was learning to keep our teeth clean. It was interesting because we all brush our teeth, right? But the facilitator showed us how to do it well, and it was different from what I usually do. He showed us how to brush all sides of our teeth and not just the front. We learnt that just quickly brushing the front of your teeth is not really getting them clean. There are germs and bits of food hiding everywhere, and you need to brush all over to get them out," shared 11-year-old John.

"I also learned that brushing before bed is very important because when you are sleeping, the germs can have a party in your mouth. Since I do not want to get a toothache, I will start brushing all my teeth properly after meals," he added.

Thank you for making all of this possible!




August, 2025: Exciting Progress at Tumbeni Primary School!

We’re thrilled to share that, thanks to your generous support, significant change is coming for Headteacher Enos Nalwa and the entire Tumbeni Primary School. Construction has begun on the well project, bringing them one step closer to having clean, reliable water.

But that's not all—during construction, we’re also providing vital health training. These sessions equip the community with essential hygiene practices, ensuring that the benefits of clean water extend to lasting health improvements.

We’re so grateful for your role in making this possible. Stay tuned for more updates—soon, we’ll be celebrating the arrival of safe water at Tumbeni Primary School!




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!


Contributors

2 individual donor(s)