Every day, 120 students and nine staff members at Mwanziu Primary School face a water crisis. They have two water options, but neither provides sufficient or safe water to meet their daily needs.
"The school suffers from inadequate water availability due to the region's hot and dry climate, which forces students to carry water from home when the rainwater tank runs out of water. The school can only sprinkle the dusty and bare classrooms once in a while because the water is not enough. The water brought from home has also caused water-related infections like stomach upset and hygienic infections such as ringworms. Some pupils also fail to come to school when there is no water to carry from home. The latrines in the school are barely cleaned and have a bad odor, which has created an unconducive learning environment," shared Field Officer Alex Koech as he described the difficulties at Mwanziu.
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An unprotected scoop hole where people collect water.
Students collect water from various unprotected sources near their homes and haul it to school over dangerous rocky and hilly terrain, leaving them exhausted when they arrive. This time-consuming activity usually takes over an hour, which means students miss valuable learning time in class.
"The pupils bring water from home when the water in the rainwater tank is depleted. They mostly draw water from scoop holes or earth dams that are unprotected. The water is not clear with an unpleasant taste and smell," continued Alex.
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Students carry their water jugs back and forth to school.
Collecting the water is a burden, but consuming the water they've collected leads to a whole new set of problems. The water is often contaminated, causing students and staff members to suffer from water-related illnesses that steal their time, health, and focus.
"The pupils often complain of stomach upsets and have to be sent home for treatment, and this is exactly what happened last week when one of the pupils had stomach pains," said Alex.
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Alice helps a student collect water from the school's rain tank.
"Last week, one of our pupils complained of stomach pains, and we had to send her home to seek treatment. This happens often, and it is very sad because the pupils have to miss classes for the rest of the week. The pupil has to miss out on classwork, and in the case of a teacher, they will not come to teach until they get better," said 55-year-old teacher Alice Kailu.
"The rainwater tank cannot hold enough water for all of us during the several months of drought. The hot and dry climate also reduces the water supply in the scoop holes found in the local seasonal river. The students have to carry water from home every day when coming to school. Sometimes, we are unable to cook food for them when there is no water. The learners are also forced to use latrines that have an unpleasant odor," Alice continued.
But Alice hopes the school can benefit from a water solution and turn things around. With water access, she is confident that student's academic performances will improve and their learning environment will be much improved.
She concluded, "Living things require water to thrive, and the success of this school depends on water availability."
Steps Toward a Solution
Our technical experts worked with the local community to identify the most effective solution to their water crisis. Together, they decided to construct a rainwater harvesting system.
Rainwater Harvesting System
A rainwater collection system consists of gutters that channel rainwater effectively into large holding tanks. Attached to buildings with clean, suitable roofing, these systems are sized according to the population and rainfall patterns. Water can be stored for months, allowing for easy treatment and access. Learn more here!
Handwashing Stations
Alongside each water source, we install two gravity-fed handwashing stations, enabling everyone at the school to wash their hands. Handwashing is crucial for preventing water-related illnesses within the school and community. Student “health clubs” maintain the stations, fill them with water, and supply them with soap, which we often teach them how to make.
Community Education & Ownership
Hygiene and sanitation training are integral to our water projects. Training is tailored to each community's specific needs and includes key topics such as proper water handling, improved hygiene practices, disease transmission prevention, and care of the new water point. Safe water and improved hygiene habits foster a healthier future for everyone in the community. Encouraged and supported by the guidance of our team, a water user committee representative of the community's diverse members assumes responsibility for maintaining the water point, often gathering fees to ensure its upkeep.