Mumbuni Primary School

February, 2024: Mumbuni Primary School Rainwater Catchment Complete!

Mumbuni Primary 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.

"Walking from home while carrying water for several kilometers was an exacting ordeal that I had to endure every day due to the lack of water in school. My muscles would wear out, and I would find it hard to concentrate in class. I also had to help my parents fetch water in the evening after school, which made it hard to focus on my studies or play with my friends," said 15-year-old Mutathi K.

Mutathi K.

"I am glad that I will no longer be forced to carry water to school because there is enough water in school. I am very happy that this tank is now in our school and will provide enough water for all of us. I will be arriving to school early and focus on my studies so that I can one day help my family. I will be arriving at our school early because I am not carrying water [which] usually slows my pace. I will also be more attentive in class because I can drink clean water whenever I want, and all my energy [can be] spent on academics and interacting with my friends. Learning in a dusty class and using unclean latrines with unpleasant odors was very frustrating in the past. I am grateful that we now have enough water to clean these areas," concluded Mutathi.

Students happy for clean water!

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.

Preparing the site.

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 a sturdy construction (the walls have internal and external diameters of 25 and 28 feet, respectively!), the tank will stand for a long time.

Building up the walls.

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.

Plastering the inside of the tank.

"I am very happy about the installation of this water point because we will now have clean water to drink. My pupils will now improve their academic performance in class because they will be drinking clean water that does not expose them to infections like typhoid, amoeba, or dysentery. We will also have enough water to wash our hands after using latrines, and the meals will now be prepared on time. We will also be cleaning our classrooms, latrines, and other facilities because we will have enough water, and our pupils will learn in a more conducive environment," said 46-year-old teacher Tabitha Syanda.

Tabitha Syanada.

"Since our learners will be drinking clean water that does not expose them to water-related infections, absenteeism will reduce, and our student retention will improve. The availability of enough water in the school will also attract more students, and their comfortable stay in a clean environment will improve their academic performance," concluded Tabitha.

The completed tank.

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.

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.

Students learn how to make soap.

A favorite training topic focused on sorting between good and bad hygiene practices. During the session, pupils in grade four created a song to promote healthy hygiene practices such as face washing and brushing their teeth. This made the session very interesting since other pupils joined in singing the song and seemed to understand the hygienic practices better.

"This training will be of great importance to us as pupils and our siblings at home since we have learned a lot of things that we have never had an opportunity to learn. It will bring a positive impact in our lives because we are going to improve a lot as far as hygiene and sanitation is concerned," said 13-year-old Pauline M.

Pauline.

"We will practice all the hygienic practices, like washing our hands with soap and running water, since we now have a tank to hold enough water for our use. We also received handwashing tanks, and we have also been taught how to make soap. We will encourage others to avoid open defecation since it [was] one thing that [was] causing a lot of absenteeism since we [were] drinking water that had been contaminated with feces; hence, we became sick," Pauline said.

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!

January, 2024: Mumbuni Primary School Rainwater Catchment Underway!

The lack of adequate water at Mumbuni Primary 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!