Ebulonga Mixed Secondary School

January, 2020: Ebulonga Mixed Secondary School Project Complete!

Ebulonga Mixed Secondary School in Kenya now has access to a new source of safe, clean water thanks to the completion of their rain tank, which has the ability to collect 50,000 liters of water. We installed new latrines and handwashing stations for students, and we trained students and staff on improved sanitation and hygiene practices. All of these components work together to unlock the opportunity for these students to live better, healthier lives.

Student gets a fresh drink from the rain tank

Though most of the students who attend Ebulonga Secondary face many challenges in their education, pupils and staff alike are determined that they attain a quality education from this institution and that accessing water should not be an added barrier. With the completion of this rain tank, a step has been made in solving this burden.

The school shared their thanks for the global community that helped make this project a reality, saying "Our appreciation goes to those who sacrificed their money just to see this tank constructed. Blessings are coming your way!"

Thumbs up for clean water from the rain tank

The official opening of the rain tank brought hope to the students and staff on a day when their unreliable piped water system made the comparison of their pre-tank and current situations even more poignant.

"As we talk right now, our piped water is not available at the tap. We are so happy that this option of the rain tank has been given to us. I can relax now that my plate can be washed after lunch even if the piped water decides not to avail itself," said student Margaret.

Rain Tank

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

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

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

Rain tank site excavation begins

Then, we cleared the site by excavating the soil within the required measurements to make level ground for the tank foundation. The foundation was cast by laying hardcore on level ground and then reinforcing it using steel, concrete and waterproof cement.

Cementing the interior rain tank walls

Both the drawing pipe as well as the washout pipe were affixed as the foundation was laid. The wall was built with ferro-cement techniques through 6 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 artisan attaches the guttering system to the roof

Dome construction could begin after the superstructure had been 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.

There were no challenges or delays during the construction process at this school since the school had prepared well and the weather was favorable. All of the materials also arrived on time thus making everything move smoothly.

Happy students at the rain tank

Once finished, the tank was given 3 weeks to undergo complete curing before it was cleaned and handed over to Ebulonga Mixed Secondary School, though we will continue to offer them unmatchable support as a part of our monitoring and maintenance program.

VIP Latrines

This project funded the installation of 6 new ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines, half for girls and half for boys.

A girl poses at an entrance to one of the new latrines

All of these new latrines have cement floors that are designed to be easy to use and clean. And with a rain tank right on school property, there should be enough water to keep them clean.

Boys pose with their new latrines

Handwashing Stations

The 2 handwashing stations were delivered to the school and handed over to the student health club. These were placed outside of the girls’ and boys’ latrines to encourage handwashing after latrine use.

A girl washes her hands outside the latrines

Health club members teach other students how to properly wash their hands at the stations, make sure the stations are filled with water, and work to ensure that there is always soap or ash available.

A boy washes his hands outside the latrines

New Knowledge

Hygiene and sanitation training was scheduled with the help of the school principal, Mr. Inyanga, who ensured that the training date would be convenient for students, staff, and parent representatives. Individual teachers helped by selecting students from each class to represent the others.

15 students attended the training. It had rained the previous night making the morning chilly and a bit misty, so we first tried having our training in the school's laboratory but the lighting was poor due to the weather and the electric blackout that the school was experiencing at that particular time. We then opted to have our training outdoors within the school compound. Here everyone was comfortable and jovial since it made the training special and different from the normal class lessons.

A student shares her group's answers during training

In the beginning, the participants were shy and kept their answers to themselves. After the facilitator brought in some jokes concerning their personal hygiene during the health promotion topic, however, the participants felt at ease and got into the discussion making each participant active.

We covered a number of topics, including personal hygiene such as bathing, oral hygiene, and handwashing with soap as a barrier from germs; and operation and maintenance of the new facilities, with each person understanding their role for long-lasting clean water and good health. The new student health club will be greatly involved in project management and will be responsible for encouraging good health and hygiene practices amongst their peers, teachers, and the larger community.

Facilitator Lillian Achieng takes students through the 10 steps of handwashing

While learning about the parts and function of the rain tank, the pupils were shocked in learning the technologies used to construct the rain tank since most of the construction work was done when they were on school break. They were very impressed by the structure and we noticed students taking particularly excellent notes during this section. Our team agreed this was a good sign of this school's dedication and commitment to the longevity of their new WaSH facilities.

Students crush charcoal to use as a toothpaste alternative during the dental hygiene practical

During our conversation on health promotion and hygiene, the girls humorously attacked the boys concerning personal hygiene claiming that the boys did not like to take baths on a daily basis - laughter and debate ensued! The dental hygiene lesson was also interesting as participants asked many questions concerning dental care. The practical part of this and the handwashing session made each topic come alive. We had a lot of vibrant memories from interacting with this bright group of pupils!

Students demonstrate toothbrushing to their peers using charcoal, toothpaste, and salt

"I have always brushed my teeth before taking my breakfast. All along, I thought I was doing the right thing. Today I've learned that I need to brush my teeth after having a meal and not necessarily before. More importantly, I need to brush before going to bed because that is when the enzymes are so active in the mouth," explained student Duncan after completing the training.

Thank you for making all of this possible!

December, 2019: Ebulonga Mixed Secondary School Project Underway!

A severe clean water shortage at Ebulonga Mixed Secondary School drains students’ time, energy, and health. Thanks to your generosity, we’re working to install a clean water point and much more.

Get to know this school through the introduction and pictures we’ve posted, and read about this water, sanitation and hygiene project. We look forward to reaching out with more good news!