Borehole Well and Hand Pump
Rehabilitation Project
Halima is 16, and she already knows where she's headed. She's one of the 340 students who attend the Eshisenye Girls' Secondary School in Western Kenya. Though the time spent in class becomes less and less as the water crisis continues.
Halima.
"My dream is to become a doctor. I want to work hard in school, especially in my science subjects, so that I can achieve my dream and one day help people in my community."
Some of the hours Halima would spend on her science subjects go to standing in line for water.
Eshisenye is a girls' school in Mumias East, Kakamega County. It serves 340 students, 180 of whom board on campus, plus 22 staff. It's only on-site water comes from a 50,000-liter rainwater harvesting tank. In the rainy months, the tank gets the school by. But rain here is seasonal, and the tank can't store enough to carry the girls through a full school period.
Even when the tank has water, getting it is slow.
"Fetching water takes a long time because the water pressure is low. The water comes out slowly, so we have to wait for a long time before we can fill our containers, especially when many students are waiting," Halima said.
To ensure the supply lasts, students may fetch only from the tank in the mornings and evenings during the dry season. That means hundreds of girls trying to fill containers in the same short windows, and tempers can run short.
"Sometimes other students have been unkind to me at the water point. When the queue is long and the water is coming slowly, some students get impatient and may push or speak harshly. It makes me feel uncomfortable, especially when I am just trying to get water and return to my studies."
"Sometimes, I get pushed to the back of the queue when the water is coming slowly, and there are many students waiting. It can be frustrating because I may have to wait even longer before I get water."
The waiting leaves her worn out.
"I feel tired and sometimes frustrated when I am sent to fetch water, especially when the water pressure is low, and I have to wait for a long time. I would rather use that time to study, rest, or do my schoolwork."
Girls haul water back from the community spring.
When the dry season stretches on, and the tank runs low, the school has to rely on water from outside, including a nearby spring that is only partially protected and shared with the surrounding community. No one can say for certain whether that water is safe.
"I worry about the safety of the water because we are not always sure where it comes from or whether it is safe to drink. Sometimes the water does not look very clean, and we worry that it could make us sick," Halima shared.
"I don't get sick very often because of the water, but sometimes I have stomach problems. We are not always sure if the water is safe to drink, so I worry about getting sick from it."
She remembers one time clearly.
"Once I drank water that looked dirty, and later I started having stomach pain and diarrhea. I felt weak and uncomfortable and had to rest instead of taking part in my normal school activities. It made me more careful about the water I drink."
"My parents took me to the health center for treatment and gave me medicine. They also made sure I drank plenty of safe water and rested until I felt better."
For a boarding student, getting sick means losing class time.
"Sometimes, I miss classes when I am sick. Since we are in boarding school, I usually stay in the sick bay or dormitory to rest until I feel better. If I am very sick, my parents may be called to take me home for further treatment."
For a student with Halima's goals, every lost hour counts, and she feels it most at exam time.
"Sometimes fetching water takes away time that I could use for studying, doing homework, or preparing for exams. When I spend a lot of time waiting for water, I may have less time to revise, which can affect how well I prepare for my exams."
A borehole on the school grounds would change that.
"A new water point would make me feel safer because we would have a clean and reliable source of water at school. We would not have to depend on water from an unknown source, and there would be less crowding and waiting when getting water," Halima said.
She knows how she'd spend the time she gets back.
"If I didn't have to spend so much time getting water, I would use that time to study, do my homework, rest, and spend more time with my friends. I would also have more time to prepare for my lessons and take part in school activities."
Steps Toward a Solution
Schools without reliable, on-premises water access often rely on students to fetch and carry water, leading to rationing and uncertainty about water quality. The water is typically poured into a communal storage tank and used by the entire school. With children carrying water from all different sources, it is also impossible for teachers and staff to know exactly where the water comes from and how safe it is to drink.
A new water point will be located on-premises at the school to ensure accessibility, reliability, and safety for students, teachers, and staff while meeting our school coverage goals. Having water available at the school allows children to drink, wash hands, and use sanitation facilities without leaving school grounds, preventing disruptions to lessons and reducing safety risks. A dedicated source increases water availability, reduces reliance on stored water, minimizes rationing, and ensures confidence in the safety of the water. This means staff and students are healthier, and their lessons aren’t disrupted, contributing to a better education!
Our technical experts worked with the school leadership and 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.
