Borehole Well and Hand Pump
Rehabilitation Project
Musango Secondary School is a day school in Western Kenya, serving 287 students and 18 staff. Its 50,000-litre rainwater harvesting tank is clean and well kept, with gutters intact. Right now, though, the tank is empty. It depends on rain, and there hasn't been enough to fill it. The community spring they must rely on, isn't a much better option.
Melvin is 17 and in her final year of secondary school. She knows exactly what she's working toward.
Melvin.
"My plan for the future is to finish my secondary education and do well in my Form 4 exams. I would like to continue with my studies and pursue a career that will help me support myself, my family, and my community. I also want to become a successful and responsible person."
But in the year that matters most, Melvin keeps getting pulled out of class to fetch water.
"There is not enough water because the school's rainwater tank depends on rainfall, and sometimes there is not enough rain to fill it. When the tank dries up, we have to depend on the partially protected spring, which also does not provide enough water for everyone. This makes me feel worried and frustrated because I have to leave school to fetch water, and sometimes I miss lessons and become tired," Melvin said.
Students make that trip twice a day, once for breakfast and again for lunch.
"Fetching water takes a long time because the school's main water source does not have enough water. We have to go to the partially protected spring, which is about 1 kilometer from the school. Sometimes, there is a queue, and we have to wait for our turn to collect water and then walk back to school."
The spring is shared with the surrounding community, and the crowding brings tension.
"Sometimes community members become impatient when there is a long queue. Some push us or speak harshly when they feel they have waited for too long. This makes me feel uncomfortable when fetching water," Melvin shared.
She continued, "Sometimes I get pushed to the back of the queue when there are many people waiting for water. Some people try to move ahead of others, so I may have to wait longer before I get my turn."
The walk itself is risky. The ground around the spring is uneven and turns slippery in the rain, and there are no steps down to the water. Students carrying full jerrycans can easily fall. It also isn't safe for girls to go alone, so teachers on duty have to leave the school to walk with them.
"I worry about safety because the spring is about 1 kilometer from the school, and we sometimes have to go there to fetch water. The area is not well protected, and there can be many people at the water point. I also worry about falling or getting injured because the area around the spring is in poor condition," Melvin shared.
Students make the walk to the spring.
The water is a worry as well. Because the spring is poorly protected, its water comes out slightly cloudy and has an unpleasant smell and taste. Still, it's all the school has, so students drink it and cook with it.
"I sometimes get sick after drinking water from the spring. I have experienced stomach pain, diarrhea, and sometimes vomiting. This happens more when the water is dirty or has a bad smell."
"One time, I drank water from the spring when it was dirty. After drinking it, I started having stomach pain and diarrhea. I felt weak and uncomfortable, and I had to rest and take care of myself until I felt better."
"When I became sick, my parents made sure I stopped drinking the dirty water and gave me clean and boiled water. They encouraged me to rest and gave me food and medicine. When the stomach pain and diarrhea continued, they took me to the health center for treatment. After some days, I started feeling better."
Being sick keeps her home and away from her lessons.
"Yes, sometimes I have to miss school when I am sick. If I have stomach pain, diarrhea, or feel weak, I stay at home to rest and recover. This makes me miss lessons, and sometimes I have to ask my classmates or teachers what I missed."
Between the trips to the spring and the sick days, the lost time adds up, and Melvin can see it in her schoolwork.
"Fetching water affects my time at school and my studies. Sometimes, I have to leave lessons to go and fetch water, which makes me miss important lessons. When I miss lessons, I have less time to study and revise for my exams, and this affects my performance."
"I feel tired and frustrated when I am sent to fetch water, especially when there is a long queue at the spring. I also feel worried because I have to leave my school activities and sometimes miss lessons. I would prefer to have a reliable water source within the school compound."
A borehole on the school grounds would produce water all year, whether it rains or not. Students would stay in class instead of walking to the spring, and teachers would stay with their lessons.
"A new water point at the school would make me safer because I would not have to walk to the spring to fetch water. I would be able to get clean water within the school compound, reducing the risk of getting injured or facing unsafe situations on the way. It would also provide water throughout the school calendar, unlike the rainwater tank, which dries up when there is not enough rainfall. This would make it easier and safer for students to get water at school," Melvin said.
She already knows what she'd do with the time she gets back.
"If I did not have to spend so much time fetching water, I would use that time to study, complete my assignments, revise for my exams, and participate more in school activities. I would also have more time to rest and spend time with my friends."
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.
