Project Status



Project Type:  Rainwater Catchment

Regional Program: Southeastern Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 670 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Jan 2024

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 09/02/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

At Kaundu Mixed Secondary school, water is rationed for the 643 students and 27 staff members because there is never enough.

The school has three water sources available, but none of them are adequate enough to solve the water scarcity problem. Their first water source is a standpipe fed by a borehole well, but the water it yields is incredibly salty. The standpipe is also shared with the community, so students often meet queues of people waiting there, which delays kids from returning to class in time. Waiting in long lines for salty water damages students' morale.

"The available water acquired from the community borehole is salty and cannot be used for cooking or drinking," said our field officer, Alex. "The water point is also shared with the community, which causes challenges such as quarrels, water disconnection, and misunderstandings."

There are also three small rain tanks whose holding capacity is limited. If it rained often in this region, the tanks would have ample opportunities to fill up. But since it only rains a few times a year at most in Southeast Kenya, the tanks mostly sit empty. The school has been unable to build anything larger because such a large construction project is an expense they can't afford.

"Water from the current sources is unsuitable for drinking because it is salty," said headteacher David Murathi (pictured below). "I purchase drinking water because I cannot drink this water. However, my students do not have that privilege of purchasing water and have to drink it. The water shortage also affects my agriculture students because there is insufficient water for irrigating their crops. Meals often delay because of water shortage, for instance, last term when students went back to class on empty stomachs."

Because the students (understandably) don't want to drink the borehole's water, they tightly ration what little rainwater they can collect, as 19-year-old James (shown below, first in line at the borehole) explained.

"Water shortage is rampant within the school and this region at large," James said. "As such, our classes and latrines are rarely cleaned. For instance, last term, we did not wash our classes at all. We could only sweep them and bear with [the] dust. The water in school is salty because it is derived from the borehole. Thus, we have to rely on the inadequate rainwater for drinking water."

As James said, the water scarcity means that the school can't properly maintain proper hygiene. This means that students and staff are more apt to get sick, which is already an issue due to students sometimes having to drink the borehole's unsafe water. Pupils have suffered from stomachaches, diarrhea, and typhoid, which are all preventable with proper hygiene.

The school needs a more long-term, reliable solution so that the pupils can stop worrying about water and get back to learning.

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


January, 2024: Kaundu Mixed Secondary School Rain Tank Complete!

Kaundu Mixed Secondary 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.

"Being in a boarding school, I had to bear with poor personal and environmental hygiene because water was scarce. Now, I will be able to bathe and wash my uniform on a regular basis because we now have enough water. This really makes me happy. I will also [have] clean water whenever I need it because this water point will offer sufficient water," shared 17-year-old Shantel M.


"It felt bad not being able to clean my plate after eating because water had to be used sparingly. Some boys would lick off their plates, and I used a tissue to wipe mine. I am happy my plate and cup will always be clean because we have enough water. We will also be cleaning our classrooms, dormitories, and latrines to ensure comfort here in school. These aspects will contribute to a comfortable learning environment that promotes academic excellence," she continued.

Rain Tank Construction Process

First, we held a meeting with all parents and the school headteacher 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.

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 for the students through the dry months.

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 for a long time.

We built a reinforced concrete column up to the tank's center, which holds 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.

Handwashing Stations

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

Training at the new handwashing stations.

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.

Learning how to make soap.

How diseases are spread was a memorable discussion. According to field officer Alex Koech, a debate arose on whether untreated human feces can be used as manure during farming activities. Most students opposed it and said the feces might end up in rivers or other water sources when it rains.

"I am very happy. I have learned new things about hygiene and sanitation. For example, I have learned how we usually get sick through eating dirt. We have learned various ways of preventing diseases and infections, like handwashing and water treatment. I have also learned how to make liquid soap and a disinfectant. As a student pursuing business studies, I will start [a] soap enterprise after school and support my family. We are very thankful," shared 17-year-old Catherine K.

Conclusion

This project required a substantial collaboration between our staff, our in-country teams, and the community members. 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 their local field officers to assist them.

Also, we will continue to offer them unmatchable support as a part of our monitoring and maintenance program. We walk with each community, problem-solving together when they face challenges with functionality, seasonality, or water quality. Together, all these components help us strive for 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 Kenya, Uganda, and Sierra Leone, we're working toward complete coverage. That means reliable, maintained water sources within a 30-minute round trip for each community, household, school, and health center. With this in mind, search through our upcoming projects to see which community you can help next!

Thank you for making all of this possible!




December, 2023: Kaundu Mixed Secondary School Rainwater Catchment Underway!

The lack of adequate water at Kaundu Mixed Secondary School costs students time, energy, and health every single day. Clean water scarcity contributes to community instability and diminishes individuals’ personal progress.

But thanks to your recent generosity, things will soon improve here. We are now working to install a reliable water point and improve hygiene standards. We look forward to sharing inspiring news in the near future!




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!


Contributors

Data Abstract Solutions, Inc.
Data Abstract Solutions, Inc.
Data Abstract Solutions, Inc.
North Dunedin Baptist Church
Bounce Treatment Services
28 individual donor(s)