The 216 staff and students of the Tulanduli Secondary School struggle to access sufficient water. Their small rainwater harvesting tank often runs dry, and they are forced to buy water, which is costly and unreliable.
"This school suffers from water scarcity because of rampant drought periods in the area. Thus, the water vendor is paid to deliver water to the school when the harvested rainwater in the 10,000-liter tank is depleted. The vendor often delays, which leads to delays in meals, and learners fail to get water to drink," shared Field Officer Alex Koech.
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Water is collected from alternative sources.
"The water is also not sufficient to conduct hygiene and sanitation in the classrooms and latrines, which has contributed to an unconducive learning environment. The recently rolled out Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) program is also negatively affected because it entails practicals that require water to teach, leading to poor performance in the subject," continued Alex.
17-year-old James struggles in school every day. He is thirsty and hot because he has to wait in long lines to collect water from the rain tank. Sadly, it has often run dry, and James must get through his day without the water he needs.
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-water-project/image/upload/c_fill,dpr_auto,q_auto,f_auto,w_auto/WP-Uploads/community/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Kenya440059-Kenya440059-water-sources-10603.jpg)
James collecting water.
He said, "We do not have enough water in our school because we only have one tank that cannot hold enough water for all of us, and the water vendor draws water from far away. This makes things very difficult for us because attending classes while thirsty and hungry is not easy."
"I am unable to focus on my studies due to lack of water. I also spend most of my time fetching water rather than studying," he added.
We asked James how he feels when he has to collect water; he said it exhausts him physically and emotionally. Every day is draining, and little time is spent studying or enjoying time with his friends, but this water crisis doesn't stop James from dreaming.
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-water-project/image/upload/c_fill,dpr_auto,q_auto,f_auto,w_auto/WP-Uploads/community/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Kenya440059-Kenya440059-James-M-10600.jpg)
James.
"When I finish school, I want to be an engineer," said James.
James can achieve his goals with the right tools. Installing a 104,000-liter rainwater harvesting tank that will hold enough water to supply the students and staff with sufficient water without having to spend money they don't have with water vendors is a great start to a brighter future.
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.