Project Status



Project Type:  Rainwater Catchment

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 500 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Apr 2018

Functionality Status:  Low/No Water or Mechanical Breakdown

Last Checkup: 01/11/2024

Project Features


Click icons to learn about each feature.



Community Profile

Pupils wake up by 5:30am to prepare themselves for school. Once they've gathered up all of their things, they grab their empty jerrycans to fetch water on the way. After study hall from 6am to 7am, they break into groups to do their assigned cleaning chores. Normal classes go until 12:45pm lunch. On their way back from lunch, all upper class students are expected to bring another full container of water, which will be used to clean their classrooms again in the evening. 

Total enrollment is 1,045 students, who are taught by 22 teachers. The school also employs three support staff. (Editor's Note: While this many people may have access on any given day, realistically a single water source can only support a population of 350-500 people. This school would be a good candidate for a second project in the future so adequate water is available. To learn more, click here.)

Water

All the school has had is a tank of clean water that was purchased and then delivered. It was quickly used up, so the school opened up the top of the boozer so that it can catch rainwater. Thus, the school relies on students to fetch water not only for what the school needs for cooking lunch and cleaning, but for what each individual needs for drinking.

Bringing water to school every morning and during every lunch only meets a portion of the school's drinking and cleaning needs. Not only that, but the water students fetch is filthy, and most often comes from surface water sources like the one we followed them to during our visit. This open, dirty water source is almost one kilometer away!

There is also a food program for grades seven and eight (primary school in Kenya includes middle school) so that they have more time at school. The cooks require a lot of water, and the water students bring is prioritized for this program.

Some students skip school altogether to avoid the burden of carrying water. Class is even interrupted so that students can go back out to get more. This water is visibly contaminated, and students and staff suffer the consequences. There are constant complaints of typhoid, stomachaches, and headaches that result in absences.

Sanitation

There are eight pit latrines for girls, eight for boys, and four for staff. Huge lines form during class breaks, so long that several students don't get their turn before the next class starts. Many can't bear the long wait and must look for privacy elsewhere to relieve themselves.

There are no hand-washing stations for students or staff. Deputy Headteacher Akwesa said "the students are always absent from school due to poor hygiene and being infected with waterborne diseases like stomachaches from not accessing clean and safe water."

Here's what we're going to do about it:

Training

Training will be held for two days. The facilitator will use PHAST (participatory hygiene and sanitation transformation), ABCD (asset-based community development), CTC (child to child), lectures, group discussions, and handouts to teach health topics and ways to promote good practices within the school. The CTC method will prepare students to lead other students into healthy habits, as well as kickstart a CTC club for the school.

Hand-Washing Stations

The CTC club will oversee the new facilities, such as hand-washing stations, and make sure they are kept clean and in working condition. The two hand-washing stations will be delivered to the school, and the club will fill them with water on a daily basis and make sure there is always a cleaning agent such as soap or ash.

VIP Latrines

Two triple-door latrines will be constructed with local materials that the school will help gather. Three doors will serve the girls while the other three serve the boys. And with a new source of water on school grounds, students and staff should have enough to keep these new latrines clean.

Rainwater Catchment Tank

A 50,000-liter rainwater catchment tank will help alleviate the water crisis at this school. The school will also help gather the needed materials such as sand, rocks, and water from the spring for mixing cement (students have already started helping). Once finished, this tank can begin catching rainfall that will be used by the school’s students and staff. Students will no longer be responsible to find enough water to carry to school every day.

Deputy Akwesa said, "If you do this project here, it is really going to help us so much because now when the children are thirsty, they run and drink any water around the school and don't mind if it is clean or not." We and the school strongly believe that with this assistance, standards will significantly improve. These higher standards will translate to better academic performance!


This project is a part of our shared program with Western Water And Sanitation Forum (WEWASAFO). Our team is pleased to provide the reports for this project (formatted and edited for readability) thanks to the hard work of our friends in Kenya.

Project Updates


July, 2019: Giving Update: Madivini Primary School

A year ago, your generous donation enabled us to build a rainwater catchment tank for Madivini Primary School in Kenya. The contributions of incredible monthly donors and others giving directly to The Water Promise allow our local teams to visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the water project over time. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories. Read more…




April, 2018: Madivini Primary School Project Complete

Madivini Primary School in Kenya now has a new source of safe, clean water thanks to your generous donation. A new rainwater catchment system was built and there are now six new latrines. Two hand-washing stations were installed and students received training in sanitation and hygiene.

New Knowledge

Hygiene and sanitation training was organized during ongoing construction work. We met with the headteacher and informed him about the training and why it's so important. He and the sanitation teacher immediately discussed and then agreed on the dates.

We taught that hygiene entails personal hygiene, water hygiene, and environmental hygiene. Attention needs to be given to each facet of hygiene to enjoy a healthy life.

We covered topics including but not limited to:

– Water pollution and water treatment

– Clean self and clean environment

– Group dynamics, leadership, and governance

– Forming an effective CTC (child to child) club

– Hand-washing

Demonstrations were used for hand-washing, tooth-brushing, solar disinfection, and many other topics. We facilitated group discussions and presentations, and students took part in role-plays. The students also received handouts which will help them teach hygiene and sanitation to their peers.

The CTC club include both students and teachers who want to take responsibility for spreading the message of good health and hygiene among their peers. They are responsible for managing hand-washing stations, cleaning latrines, and keeping the school environment tidy. A water user committee was also formed by parents and school administration, which will be responsible for overseeing and maintaining the new facilities.

VIP Latrines

This project funded the installation of six new ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines. All of these latrines are easy to use and clean. And with a rainwater catchment tank, there should be enough water to keep them clean all the time!

Hand-Washing Stations

The two hand-washing stations were delivered to school and handed over to the CTC club. These were placed outside of the boys’ and girls’ latrines to encourage hand-washing after latrine use. CTC club members will teach other students how to properly wash their hands at these stations, and will make sure there is always soap or ash available.

Now the school has the stations they need and the water to fill them.

Rainwater Catchment Tank

Construction for this 50,000-liter rainwater catchment tank was successful!

Parents, staff, and students helped our artisans gather everything needed for construction. All the while, women cooked meals for the artisans, and the school provided accommodations for the artisans during their work. Local men and women helped our artisans with their manual labor, too.

Men sifting sand for construction

The construction process officially began with our staff and school administration looking around the school compound to try and determine the best location for a new rainwater catchment tank. This needs to be the best site with good, clean roofing to catch the rainwater.

Rainwater tank construction began with clearance of the site: excavating the soil within the required measurements to make level ground for the tank foundation. The foundation was cast by laying hardcore on a level ground and then reinforcing it using steel, concrete and waterproof cement.

Both the drawing pipe as well as the washout pipe were affixed as the foundation was lain. Next, the wall was built with ferro-cement techniques through six layers. The inner wall was plastered while rough casting was done on the outer part. Finally, the catchment area was dug, plastered, and a staircase installed.

The dome construction followed after the superstructure was given enough time to settle. The manhole cover was fitted, inlet pipes were connected to the roof gutters, inlet screens, ventilation pipes (breathers) and overflow pipes were all done to standard.

The tank was given three to four weeks to undergo complete curing before it was cleaned and handed over to Madivini Primary School.

"Due to the high population at this school and the long lines students would make wasting a lot of study time, these facilities really have come at the right time when the school was in dire need," Deputy Headteacher Akwesa said.

Students gathered around to celebrate as we handed the facilities over for them to use. Smiles were all around as we witnessed clean water coming from the tap!




February, 2018: Madivini Primary School Project Underway

Madivini Primary School in Kenya has begun building a new source of safe, clean water because of your generous donation. A rainwater catchment tank and new latrines are being constructed, hand-washing stations provided, and the school is being trained on proper sanitation and hygiene practices. Imagine the impact this will have on these students! For now, please enjoy the new stories, pictures, and maps of this school. We look forward to reaching out again soon!




Project Photos


Project Type

For a rainwater collection system, we build gutters around a building with good, clean roofing to channel rain where we want it. From there, the water falls through a filtered inlet pipe into a high-capacity storage tank, the size of which is based on population and average rainfall patterns. In the tank, water can be stored for months, where it is easily treated and accessed. Learn more here!


Giving Update: Madivini Primary School

July, 2019

A year ago, you funded a rainwater catchment tank at Madivini Primary School in Kenya– creating a life-changing moment for David Mulira. Thank you!

Keeping The Water Promise

There's an incredible community of monthly donors who have come alongside you in supporting clean water in Madivini Primary School.

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Madivini Primary School maintain access to safe, reliable water. Together, they keep The Water Promise.

We’re confident you'll love joining this world-changing group committed to sustainability!

Immediately upon entering the gate of Madivini Primary School, good hygiene practices are evident right from the entrance. Inside the school compound, you see the hand washing facilities at a strategic point where children are washing their hands after visiting the toilet. Small children are enjoying washing their hands after playing in the field since they were trained on how to wash their hands when they are dirty.

David Mulira, a 15-year-old student at Madivini Primary School, says his life has changed for the better since the rain tank and latrines were installed at his school.

"Since the projects were implemented in our school, we now access clean and safe water for drinking...Our health has improved since we now practice good hygiene," said David.
"I now have enough time for studies and [am] not wasting it anymore looking for water to carry to school for use. I believe by the end of this year...I will be among the best pupils [here]."

Deputy Headteacher Bonventure Akhwesa also highlighted the changes he has witnessed over the last year due to these water and sanitation projects at Madivini Primary School.

"The pupils now don't waste...time looking for water to use in school, but [instead they] have enough time with their teachers during class lessons. It has become a routine that no child goes to class before washing [their] hands after visiting [the] toilet. [The rate of] waterborne diseases [has decreased, and] the pupils' health [has increased by] accessing clean and safe water for drinking."


Navigating through intense dry spells, performing preventative maintenance, conducting quality repairs when needed and continuing to assist community leaders to manage water points are all normal parts of keeping projects sustainable. The Water Promise community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Madivini Primary School maintain access to safe, reliable water.

We’d love for you to join this world-changing group committed to sustainability.

The most impactful way to continue your support of Madivini Primary School – and hundreds of other places just like this – is by joining our community of monthly givers.

Your monthly giving will help provide clean water, every month... keeping The Water Promise.


Contributors

Project Sponsor - The Cross Family
1 individual donor(s)