Project Status



Project Type:  Rainwater Catchment

Regional Program: Southeastern Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 852 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Jun 2022

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 02/28/2024

Project Features


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Water at St. Catherine Lema Girls Secondary School is rationed. Twice a week, the students line up in the presence of their teachers to receive their 10-liter share. But once the teachers leave, the bullies of the student class steal other students' portions, leaving the unlucky ones unable to clean their dishes, launder their clothes, brush their teeth properly, bathe, wash their hands after using the latrine, or even drink.

"Here in school, there isn't enough water for drinking and washing," said 16-year-old Purity. "In class, I can be thirsty, but since the water points are dry, I cannot get water to drink. One can go for a day without drinking water."

With such a high population at this boarding school—852 students and 54 staff—it's no wonder that the school's small rain tanks run dry once the region's short rainy season ends. And when this happens, the school's principal, Patricia Mule, is forced to spend the school's limited budget purchasing water. But because the school doesn't have enough money to spare for such a purpose, they can't buy enough to serve everyone.

"The current water situation at my school gives me sleepless nights," Mrs. Mule said. "I am always worried about the unrest of students, which is caused by water shortage in the school. Poor sanitation is also a challenge, as we have many students and very little water to serve them for proper cleanliness to be achieved."

With so many consequences of water scarcity, it's easy to see why Principal Mule has trouble sleeping. The school is performing poorly in both national examinations and inspections, and they have been unable to implement the required COVID-19 prevention protocols by the Kenyan government.

For their examinations, the school's agricultural students must display thriving crops, but the school doesn't have the water to spare for the students' gardens, leading to poor scores and fractured student morale. A dehydrated girl who feels unclean because someone stole her fair share of water, and who scores poorly on her exams due to circumstances out of her control, will not show up to class eager to learn.

With the large size and high capacity of the planned rain tank, students will no longer have to worry about their hygiene or their hydration day after day.

Rain Tank

We will build a 104,000-liter rain tank for this school, making the others look tiny in comparison. Because of how rarely it rains in Southeastern Kenya, this tank's large volume is designed to store as much water as possible during the seasonal rains, making more water available through the dry months. This water will benefit the students, teachers, and supplementary staff.

Parents will mobilize the materials needed for construction, including sand, stones, and water. They will also lend their strength and time to help with the construction. We will complement their materials with a skilled artisan to lead the project in addition to providing the tools, lumber, metal, cement, and gutter system.

As soon as the tank has time to cure, it can begin collecting rainwater for the school's use.

Training

We will train students and staff on sanitation, hygiene, and other topics for 1 day. Those in attendance will form a school health club that will promote good hygiene and sanitation practices both at school and at home. They will learn all of the steps to proper handwashing, how to treat water, and how to keep their environment clean. The school will also be taught how to best oversee and maintain their new rain tank and handwashing stations.

Handwashing Stations

A total of 3 handwashing stations will be installed upon the project’s completion and before training. These are 1,000-liter plastic tanks fitted with 3 taps each, allowing 9 students to wash their hands at once. The student health club and school management will be responsible for making sure the tanks are filled with water and that a cleaning agent such as soap or ash is always available.

Project Updates


June, 2022: St. Catherine Lema Girls' School Rain Tank Complete!

St. Catherine Lema Girls' School in Kenya now has access to a new safe, clean water source thanks to the completion of their 104,000-liter rain tank! In addition, we installed handwashing stations and trained students and staff on improved sanitation and hygiene practices. Together, these components will unlock the opportunity for these students to live better, healthier lives.

"This water will help me study well as I won't have to worry about what I shall drink after eating," said 17-year-old Winfred (Winnie) N.

Winfred.

"I plan to make the school more beautiful by planting trees before I leave. Also, this water will enable me to maintain very high hygiene and sanitation levels such that I will evade diseases."

Winnie continued: "Earlier on, the child health club [planned] on planting trees around our school environment but didn't make it. Now, we have hopes that we will grow many trees. We will also establish a kitchen garden to help us produce vegetables for the school."

Deputy principal Hellen Ng'ang'a, 51, shares Winnie's excitement.

Hellen.

"Before, we have experienced water shortages in the school," Hellen said. "Now, we are very optimistic that we will have enough water for students, staff, and other support staff. This waterpoint will play a big role in changing my life and perception that the South Eastern region [of Kenya] is always dry. Personally, I will have clean water for drinking and maintaining proper hygiene and sanitation."

Hellen also has the same dream of a kitchen garden for the school to improve its self-sufficiency and to aid in the success of the school's agricultural students. When we first visited the school, agriculture students couldn't complete their practical examinations properly due to a lack of water. Now, these students can thrive along with everyone else.

Happy students.

"As a school, we have been yearning to have a kitchen garden," Hellen explained.

"This dream has been shuttered over and over due to water scarcity. Now, things are looking up, and we hope to start one as soon as the tank acquires water so that we produce vegetables from within. We are also optimistic that [our] agriculture students will be doing exemplary as they will have water for their practicals."

Rain Tank Construction Process

First, we held a meeting with all parents and the school Head Teacher to plan the project. The parents agreed to collect construction materials like sand, rocks, and water. We complemented their materials by delivering the expertise, tools, lumber, metal, cement, and gutter system.

A portion of the many construction materials.

This tank is a whopping 104,000 liters because of how rarely it rains in Southeastern Kenya. Therefore, the more water the tank can store during the seasonal rains, the more water will be available through the dry months for the students.

Construction for this large rain tank is much like constructing a concrete house. First, we leveled the ground for foundation excavation. Next, we laid alternating layers of impermeable rocks and mortar up to seven feet high for the tank's outer walls. With such sturdy construction (the walls have internal and external diameters of 25 and 28 feet, respectively!), the tank will stand a long time.

We built a reinforced concrete column right up to the tank’s center, which holds up the roof and prevents it from caving in. We then plastered the walls inside and out with waterproof cement. After that, we installed guttering and channeled it into the tank. Finally, we installed the roofing, made of iron sheets and timber with vents to allow rainwater into the tank from the gutters.

School leadership is armed with the technical skills to ensure that the water tank remains functional, and together we will identify any issues through our ongoing monitoring visits.

Handwashing Stations

We delivered three new handwashing stations in time for training. Each of these new stations has three taps so that nine students can wash their hands simultaneously.

New Knowledge

We trained on a variety of health, hygiene, and sanitation topics. These included student health club activities, disease transmission and prevention, personal hygiene, handwashing, water hygiene, food hygiene, latrine hygiene, and soapmaking.

Girls demonstrate shaking their hands dry.

The topic that gained the most attention from students was disease transmission, during which we shared all the Fs of transmission routes: feces, fluids, fingers, food, fields, fomite (objects and surfaces), and flies. This was new information for the students.

Student helpers distribute training materials.

Soap-making provided an excellent opportunity for student participation, which the girls enjoyed. While taking turns stirring the soap mixture, they sang happy songs to keep time.

Conclusion

This project required a substantial collaboration between our staff, our partners, and the community members themselves. When an issue arises concerning the rain tank, 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 field officers to assist them.

Also, we will continue to offer them unmatchable support as a part of our ongoing monitoring and maintenance program. We have an ongoing commitment to walk with each community, cooperatively problem-solving when they face challenges of any kind: with functionality, seasonality, or water quality issues. With all these components together, we strive to ensure enduring access to reliable, clean, and safe water for this community.

With your contribution, one more piece has been added to a large puzzle of water projects. In our target areas, we’re working toward complete coverage of reliable, maintained water sources within a 30-minute round trip for each community, household, school, and health center.

Thank you for making all of this possible!




April, 2022: St. Catherine Lema Girls School Rain Tank Underway!

A severe clean water shortage at St. Catherine Lema Girls School in Kenya drains students’ time, energy, and health. Thanks to your generosity, we’re working to install a clean water point and much more.

We've begun construction but the completion of the tank will take a bit longer than expected.

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 good news!




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!


A Year Later: "Anyone Can Get Water Anytime They Feel Like [It]!"

June, 2023

A year ago, your generous donation helped the St. Catherine Lema Girls School in Kenya access clean water – creating a life-changing moment for Purity. Thank you!

Keeping The Water Promise

There's an incredible community of monthly donors who have come alongside you in supporting clean water in St. Catherine Lema Girls School.

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help St. Catherine Lema Girls 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!

Purity M., 17, recalled what life was like at St. Catherine Lema Girls School before her school’s rainwater tank was installed last year.

"Initially, we experienced a lot of challenges pertaining [to] water. Drinking water was not always available, also food couldn’t be cooked well, [and] our hygiene was very poor from our utensils, to the classes. Our school lies in [an] arid and semi-arid region which tends to be extremely hot and being in class and thirsty, especially during 1 PM when the sun is scorching would get me into deep stress such that my concentration would be lowered,” Purity said.

But life is much more serene for Purity and the other St. Catherine Lema Girls School students now.

"Now, getting water from this water tank is very easy and convenient. Anyone can get water anytime they feel like [it]. I am really happy about this project. I no longer have to worry about what I shall drink after the meals," she continued.

Having ready access to water from the rainwater tank has made a difference for Purity, allowing her to access safe water whenever she needs it.

"In the past year, I have managed to reduce water stress and I have been able to concentrate in my lessons well. Also, I have got enough water to wash my clothes," Purity concluded.

Thank you for helping Purity access clean water, focus on the essential things in her life, and practice good hygiene.

Right now, there are others just like her in neighboring communities that desperately need safe water access. Your support will immediately go to work to provide a clean water project - and we can’t wait to introduce you to the next person you’ll help.

Purity

 


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 St. Catherine Lema Girls 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 St. Catherine Lema Girls 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

1 individual donor(s)