Project Status



Project Type:  Borehole Well and Hand Pump

Program: Wells for Kenya

Impact: 500 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Feb 2012

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 03/11/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

This project is being undertaken by our partner Bridge Water Project, based in Kakamega, Western Kenya. This initial report is direct from them, edited for clarity.  

The project that is proposed is a secondary school which is located in Kakamega East district. The school’s environment is very hot and dry. During an interview with one of the school teachers, he said that due to lack of water in the school, many activities such as hosting school games, seminars and other activities cannot be done.

The school has a large piece of land that can be used for gardening, but it’s not possible to plant vegetables because there is no water for irrigation. It’s therefore forced to buy vegetables on daily basis to cater for the student’s lunch. This becomes very expensive and therefore strenuous for the school. It is hoped that the presence of a local water source will also enable the school to plant vegetables for the canteen.  

CURRENT WATER SOURCE

The school accesses water from Shichendiroba stream which is a half a km away from the school. The water from the stream is turbid, and there have been cases of typhoid and cholera in the community. The stream is seasonal and does not produce enough water leading to long queuing.  Students of the school and the local community currently consume the water directly without treatment. 

POPULATION

The school has a population of 264 students, 13 teachers and 7 support staff. Magale Primary School is also next to the site, and has 1000 pupils. The community surrounding the school has a population of 300-500 people.

HYGIENE AND SANITATION.

The school has eight latrines (4 for girls and 4 for boys).  The latrines are cleaned by the students on a daily basis but the condition is not ideal due to the number of students using the facilities everyday.  There is no hand washing in the school due to lack of water.

 

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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!