Rehabilitation Project
The 140 students and staff at Katuka Primary School rely on a small rainwater harvesting tank that consistently runs dry. When that happens, students and their parents are required to find water, often only finding sources that make them ill.
A scoop hole used to collect water.
Field officer Alex Koech described the situation, "When students contract waterborne illnesses, they often need to stay home from school to recover. This absenteeism disrupts their education and affects their academic performance. Also, illnesses caused by contaminated water lead to fatigue, weakness, and inability to concentrate, which affects the learners' ability to learn and perform well in school."
Students playing.
"Moreover, the burden of collecting water falls disproportionately on the young learners, who spend hours each day fetching water and bringing it to school instead of attending school early or engaging in other productive activities. Students who also do not have water to bring water to school opt to skip classes to avoid punishment or struggle with thirst when in school. School hygiene also suffers from poor hygiene and sanitation, leading to unpleasant odors from latrines and dusty classrooms because water is basically used for drinking and cooking. Fetching water from distant and often unreliable sources takes time and energy for the students. This time could otherwise be spent on studying or participating in extracurricular activities," he continued.
Students collect water from unsafe scoop holes to quench their thirst and avoid getting in trouble at school. Unfortunately, that means they often fall sick and miss out on crucial learning time.
13-year-old Titus shared his experience.
Titus.
"I feel very frustrated because of the long journey and exhaustion when bringing water to school. We experience a lot of drought in our area, and we do not [have] enough water storage in our school. I feel very bad that we have to suffer from the lack of water," said Titus.
"I spend a lot of time and energy bringing water to school, [so] I often arrive late and sometimes skip school when there is no water to carry from home," he added.
Students in class.
If Titus didn't have to spend his time searching for and collecting water, he would have the chance to get a good education and pursue his dreams. Installing a 104,000-liter rainwater harvesting tank will give the Katuka Primary School sufficient water storage so that they can collect enough water to meet their daily needs and give them the tools needed to thrive during the rainy season.
"I would spend my time studying or playing with my friends. I hope that one day, I will be a pilot," Titus shared.
Field officer Alex Koech concluded, "By providing a reliable source of clean rainwater, the tank will reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases among students. This means fewer absences due to illness, allowing students to attend school regularly and participate fully in their education without interruptions from illnesses like typhoid, amoeba infections, or dysentery."
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.
