April, 2020: Friends Secondary School Shirugu Project Complete!

Please note, all photos in this report were taken before social distancing recommendations went into place.

Friends Secondary School Shirugu 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 75,000 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.

Students pose with Field Officer Victor Musemi (squatting) to celebrate the newly completed rain tank

"It's now a new dawn in our lives. We will no longer suffer from diseases that are caused by lack of clean water, and economically we will grow and this will lead to a low rate of poverty," said student Fridah.

"In the past, I have been wasting time, but now I will get time to read and improve my academics and my health. Even the development of programs will be more easily achieved compared with the past."

Teachers were just as excited as the students about the new rain tank on campus.

"There will be no long starvation of water thus saving use of expenses in buying water. I would thank God and the WaSH team for the idea of saving the lives of many people by ensuring we access clean and safe water. This will give us time to read and improve on our academics. Secondly, development will occur in school and more finances will not be spent on buying water," said Deputy Head Teacher Moses Kisiangani.

Deputy Head Teacher Moses Kisiangani poses formally with the rain tank

Rain Tank

Construction for this 75,000-liter rain tank was successful!

Parents, staff, and students helped our artisans gather everything needed for construction. All the while, the school cooks and community members 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.

Students help carry stones to the construction site

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 enough land and a nearby building with good, clean roofing to catch the rainwater.

Excavating the site for the rain tank's foundation

Then, we cleared the site by excavating the soil to make level ground for the tank foundation. The foundation was cast by laying big stones on the level ground and reinforcing them using steel wire, concrete, and waterproof cement. Both the drawing pipe as well as the drainage pipe were affixed as the foundation was laid.

Laying stones on rain tank foundation

Next, the walls were formed using a skeleton of rebar and wire mesh with sugar sacks temporarily tied to the outside as backing. This was attached to the foundation’s edges so that the work team could start the Ferro-cementing process, in which the walls are layered with cement alternating with the inner and outer side until 6 layers of cement are in place. (The sugar sacks are removed once the interior receives its first 2 layers of cement.)

Cementing the walls begins inside the tank against the wire and sugar sack skeleton

Inside the tank, 1 central and 4 support pillars were cast to ensure the dome does not cave in once cemented. Meanwhile, the inner wall was plastered while the outer walls received their roughcasting. Outside of the tank, the access area to the tap was dug, plastered, and a short staircase installed, along with a soak pit where spilled water can drain from the access area through the ground. This helps to keep the tap area dry and tidy.

Casting the 5 internal support pillars

Dome construction could begin after the tank walls had been given enough time to settle. Using similar techniques as used on the walls, the dome started as rebar, wire mesh, and sugar sacks and was attached to the tank walls before receiving cement and plaster. A small manhole cover was built into the dome to allow access for future cleanings and water treatments.

Passing cement to the artisan on the dome

Long wooden poles (about 75 of them!) were placed inside the tank to support the dome while it cured. A lockable manhole cover was fitted over the tap area, the gutters were affixed to the roof and the tank, and an overflow pipe was set in place at the edge of the dome for when the tank reaches capacity.

Once finished, the rain tank was given 3-4 weeks to undergo complete curing. Finally, the interior support poles and dome sugar sacks were removed, the tank was cleaned, and we waited as rain filled the tank with fresh water. When there was a sufficient volume in the tank, we treated the water and we officially handed it over to Friends Secondary School Shirugu.

Student Bella enjoying a cup of fresh water from the rain tank

As soon as it was ready, students and staff celebrated the presence of clean water on campus. The event was a great chance for us to acknowledge the school administration and students as the primary parties entrusted with the tools we have given, as well as remind them of our continued support as they develop. Happiness, thanksgiving, and appreciation were the order of the day flowing in all directions.

VIP Latrines

This project funded the installation of 6 new ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines, half for girls and half for boys. 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 shake hands in unity in front of their new latrines

Handwashing Stations

The 2 handwashing stations were set up during training and handed over to the student health club. These were placed outside of the girls’ and boys’ latrines to encourage handwashing after latrine use. Health club members will 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 a cleaning agent such as soap or ash available.

Girls using a handwashing station in front of their new latrines

New Knowledge

Hygiene and sanitation training was scheduled with the help of the school principal, 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. When the training day arrived, facilitator Victor Musemi deployed to the site.

21 students attended training, which was held outside since the weather was nice that day. We covered a number of topics including personal hygiene such as bathing, oral hygiene, and the 10 steps of handwashing; environmental hygiene; child rights; operation and maintenance of the rain tank, latrines, and handwashing stations; and leadership and governance. During the latter, the students elected their peers to lead their newly formed student health club.

Students at training vote for their peers to lead the health club

Leadership and governance was a particularly memorable topic as a majority of the students were not aware of the qualities of a good leader. Through the training session, the group became able to define leadership and could mention the characteristics of good leaders. To top off the session, a young girl managed to win one of the positions in the student health club by a big margin, impressing her classmates who clearly saw her potential as a good leader.

Student Lydia leads the group in the 10 steps of handwashing

The student health club will be greatly involved in the water, sanitation, and hygiene project management at school and will be responsible for encouraging good health and hygiene practices amongst their peers, teachers, and the larger community. We involved stretches, dances, and physical activities in between each topic to keep the pupils’ energy up and their minds active. By the end of the training, each pupil understood their role in sustaining clean water and good health within their school community.

A pupil demonstrates good toothbrushing technique during the dental hygiene portion of training

"Knowledge is power. I can now share more skills with the rest of the school and even the community which I come from. It will also empower others and even change the standard of the school improvement in terms of academics and hygiene," said pupil Elvis.

Student Elvis (right) smiles while demonstrating handwashing next to a facilitator at training

When an issue arises concerning the water project, the students and teachers are equipped with the necessary skills to rectify the problem and ensure the water point works appropriately. However, if the issue is beyond their capabilities, they can contact our team of field officers to assist them. In addition, we will continue to offer them unmatchable support as a part of our ongoing monitoring and maintenance program.

Thank you for making all of this possible!

March, 2020: Friends Secondary School Shirugu Project Underway!

A severe clean water shortage at Friends Secondary School Shirugu 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!