Project Status



Project Type:  Borehole Well and Hand Pump

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 435 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Feb 2026

Functionality Status:  Functional

Project Features


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Community Profile

Sadly, the 435 students and staff of Zululu Primary School are intimately familiar with the consequences of only having access to dirty drinking water.

"Earlier this year, we lost two pupils after they became ill due to drinking contaminated water from the nearby stream. Both presented typhoid-like symptoms, but they succumbed before proper medical intervention could be done," shared 34-year-old teacher Erick Ombuge.

"No one should ever have to get sick due to drinking contaminated water. This is something that we shouldn't even be talking about in the 21st century. Personally, I feel such challenges should be addressed once and for all," he continued.

Teacher Erick Ombuge by the contaminated spring.

The school's only available water sources are an unpredictable, costly, and unreliable piped water tap and a few rainwater collection tanks that sit dry for much of the year. The lack of sufficient water on the school campus forces students to daily collect water from a nearby stream—the same contaminated stream that led to tragedy for a couple of their classmates.

"The source of piped water in our school is the same that the surrounding community relies on. Whenever we lack water at school it means the community also doesn't have access to this precious commodity. For this reason, we have to ask students to bring water from home, and that leaves them with only one alternative, which is to collect from the nearby stream. This makes most of them arrive at school tired and with soiled uniforms, which leads to [a] lack of concentration in class," shared Erick.

The students detest the arduous task of collecting water from the stream but do not have a choice.

"In our case, water controls daily activities. The lack of it means we have to adjust our schedule to create time for students to search for the same. We have to ask students to line up to collect water, and that leads [to] competition, whereby they push each other. Sometimes, the push and pull results in fights and injuries. It's very difficult to control them since none of them wants to be the last in the queue," said Erick.

Students and staff are missing valuable learning time when they have to spend so much time outside the classroom collecting water, water that will very likely make them ill, if not worse. They need a closer, reliable water source that can provide them with clean water that they can drink without worrying it will make them ill.

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


February, 2026: Zululu Primary School Well Complete!

Your contribution has given access to clean water for the Zululu 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!

14-year-old Melvin is very excited about her school's new water source! We asked her if reliable water would impact her life. She exclaimed, "Absolutely! Luckily, my home is not far from the school, and that means I can collect clean, safe water right here instead of going to the unsafe stream. This will ensure that I wash my uniform regularly and guarantee me good health, free from waterborne illnesses that have bogged me down in the past."

She went on to describe the ripple effect this well will have in her life. "The piped water at home hasn't been available for almost a year due to breakdowns and unpaid bills. However, my parents can now collect water from the school since it's not too far. As for my teachers, this water point is a welcome relief for them since they have previously experienced frequent conflicts between them and parents because of sending learners to the stream to collect water. They will now have ample time to prepare for lessons and fulfill their mandate of imparting knowledge".

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

Teacher Erick Ombuge exuberantly shared, "I don't even know where to start! I'm the teacher in charge of sanitation, and this new water point is a huge relief, not just for me, but [for] the entire school fraternity and, to some extent, the surrounding community. Personally, I've had challenges with my health due to frequent stomach and throat infections caused by unsafe water. Secondly, our school has been one of the dirtiest in the region due to inadequate water. Lastly, asking learners to bring water from home or sometimes sending them to the nearby stream has been a major concern and cause of conflict between myself and [the] parents. All these challenges are now going to end, and I'm really excited about this new water point."

How We Got the Water Flowing

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

Students and staff gather for the groundbreaking!

Parents, staff, and students all contributed to the well’s success 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 begins!

Drilling started with excitement in the air. We continued drilling to reach a final depth of 110 meters with a final static water level of 15.2 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 storage of their materials.

Flushing the well after drilling was complete.

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.

Installing a tile below where the water will flow on the pad to prevent erosion.

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 that 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 provided an excellent opportunity to acknowledge the school administration and students, and to 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 feature cement floors designed for easy use and cleaning. 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

Students practice the seven steps of handwashing at their new handwashing station.

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, refill the stations with water, and ensure that soap is always available.

School Education

We scheduled hygiene and sanitation training with the school’s staff. When the training day arrived, facilitators Daniel Mwanzia and Patience Wanyonyi deployed to the site to lead the event. 24 Students and teachers attended the training.

Dental hygiene lesson.

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.

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.

Facilitator Daniel Mwanzi shared, "Menstrual hygiene stood out from the rest of the topics we covered. For the first time, I got to encounter boys who were genuinely interested in such a topic. They were not shy to take part in demonstrations, as has been the case in most mixed-gender schools. There was one particular boy who kept on asking questions, and that encouraged my fellow trainer to ensure all the participants understood the topic."

Menstrual hygiene lesson.

13-year-old Collins shared his favorite part of the training session. "Menstrual hygiene, though considered a taboo topic in some communities, is what I found most interesting. I felt the trainer was quite bold in her presentation and didn't shy away from involving boys in such a topic! Again, I felt the topic was necessary and well-timed, considering that our school is mixed, and it is possible that the girls in my class could have their periods during class hours and not feel embarrassed about it. I learnt that it is important to protect them from ridicule in case they accidentally soil their uniform during menses."

Collins.

He continued, "From now on, I choose to be more vigilant when it comes to hygiene. This training has made me realize that hygiene standards have been quite low, not only at my school but also in the community where I come from. Thanks to the trainers, I can now teach my parents and other community members how to properly store water and how to make soap."

Thank you for making all of this possible!


Update photo


January, 2026: Exciting Progress at Zululu Primary School!

We’re thrilled to share that, thanks to your generous support, significant change is coming for teacher Erick Ombuge and the entire Zululu Primary School. Construction has begun on the new 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 Zululu 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!


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