Rehabilitation Project
The 393 students and 19 staff of Kyethani Primary School struggle to meet their daily water needs, which limits their ability to focus on their most important task: learning.
Students learning.
Currently, the school relies on water students can bring from home and water collected in a couple of small rain tanks on its campus. The rain tanks are too small, and when they run dry, they rely on water vendors who utilize scoop holes in dry river beds. This venture is costly, limiting how much can be purchased, and risky because the water they deliver to the school is contaminated.
A water vendor collecting water from a scoop hole.
"The scoop hole is open to contamination from animals and human activity because it is unprotected. You will find animal waste near the waterpoint, and dust and debris easily get into the waterpoint. The water is clear, but it is salty with an unpleasant smell and taste," shared Field Officer Alex Koech.
"The pupils often complain of water-related infections like typhoid and amoeba after drinking water from the scoop holes. The water from parents and water vendors is not treated always, which exposes the learners to these waterborne infections. Lack of enough water to drink in school has caused dehydration, and learners often complain of headaches."
Students scramble to collect water.
"The plastic tanks in the school are not sufficient to harvest and store rainwater which forces the school to ration the water. The scant water availability adversely affects hygiene and sanitation in the school, as well as [the] scheduled preparation of meals," continued Alex.
Fourteen-year-old Mary endures this reality every day.
Mary beside the school rain tank that is insufficient to meet student's needs.
"This situation makes me feel frustrated because struggling for water is something we face every day. It is exhausting and unfair, and sometimes, I feel like we spend more time worrying about water than learning in class."
"Fetching water affects my time at school and my exam scores. Sometimes, I stay at home when there is no water to bring to school. When we are asked to bring water from home, I have to wake up earlier, which makes me feel tired during the day. All these challenges make it difficult to focus on my studies, and my performance in exams is affected because I don’t get enough time to study."
Even when Mary is at school, when the water tanks have water, she finds the process overwhelming.
"When I am sent to fetch water, I feel bad because it is always a struggle. We are all trying to get water at the same time, and there is a lot of pushing and pulling. It feels unfair because I would rather be in class, learning or working on my art. Sometimes, I feel tired and discouraged, especially when I have to wait for a long time to get just a small amount of water. If our school had enough water, we wouldn't have to go through this every day, and learning would be much easier.
"When the water runs out, we have to rely on vendors, but the school cannot afford to buy enough for everyone. The water sources we use are shared by [the] entire school populace, making it difficult to get enough."
Mary.
Mary has dreams for the future, but without sufficient water at school, she will continue to run into roadblocks and waste her energy just trying to survive.
"If our school had enough water, I could spend more time practicing my art and learning in class," Mary exclaimed.
"I hope to become an artist in the future because I love drawing and creating beautiful things. I want to improve my skills so that I can tell stories through my art and maybe even help my community by painting murals that promote important messages like the importance of clean water. However, for me to achieve my dream, I need to focus on my education, and that is hard when I have to worry about water all the time."
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.
School Education & Ownership
Hygiene and sanitation training are integral to our water projects. Training is tailored to each school'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.
To ensure a lasting impact, we support forming a student health club composed of elected student representatives and a teacher. These clubs promote hygiene practices schoolwide and keep handwashing stations well-stocked. This student-led model encourages a sense of ownership and responsibility.
Safe water and improved hygiene habits foster a healthier future for the entire school.
