Rehabilitation Project
Even in the rainy season, the small rain tanks on Kalonzo Secondary School grounds struggle to meet the needs of the school's 281 students and 17 staff members. But in the other half of the year, when the rain stops coming, the situation becomes downright dire.
Rain has become unreliable and unpredictable in this region of Kenya, which has been hit hard by the effects of climate change. Half of the year, rainstorms used to blanket the horizon 10 years ago. Now, rain is intermittent at best.
This leaves the school administration scrambling for water. When they can afford to, they purchase water from local bowser (mobile water tank) companies. When they can't, students and staff are sent on the six-kilometer (3.72-mile) journey to the nearest riverbed, where scoopholes are dug into the dry riverbed.
"Sometimes we lack water and we are forced to source for water that can be fetched to be used here in school," said Head Teacher Samwel Mbuvi (in the picture below). "The water we get is usually dirty and not conducive for use at all. The financial implications of having to buy water [are] also heavily felt within the school."
The water scarcity makes everything at the school harder, and sometimes disrupts the school's entire schedule. Tasks like filling the handwashing stations, cleaning latrines and dormitories, laundering clothes, and washing dishes can be difficult to accomplish.
"There is insufficient water in the school," explained 19-year-old student Peter M, who is in the below picture. "Water is fetched from the river and delivered using donkeys. [The] lack of adequate water supply in the school leads to poor maintenance of hygiene and sanitation."
A 104,000-liter rain tank for the school will leave no raindrop wasted and will store enough water for students to use year-round, granting them time and energy for more fulfilling tasks.
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.
