Project Status



Project Type:  Rainwater Catchment

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 322 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Jul 2016

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 10/05/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

This project is a part of our shared program with Western Water And Sanitation Forum (WEWASAFO). Our team is pleased to directly share the below report (edited for clarity, as needed).

Welcome to the School

A normal day in Iguyio Village begins with women waking early to go to the river to fetch water. Once they return home with full containers, they help prepare their children for school. While children are at the nearby Iguyio Primary School, fathers leave to work on their farms and mothers stay at home doing domestic chores. Mothers are the family members who take sole responsibility for the cleanliness of the home. After all the household work is finished, women join their husbands working on the farm.

Water Situation

The school does not have its own water source. Students must find water elsewhere, and normally resort to a river approximately one kilometer away. A lot of time is wasted when a classroom runs out of water and students have to travel to the river.

Students bring jerrycans and jars to fetch water. The jar is used to scoop water and fill the larger container. Students occasionally swish sand and water to clean the inside of jerrycans. These jerrycans don't have covers, so the water inside is at risk of further contamination on the way home. The river water itself is already highly contaminated from surface runoff, nearby farming and latrines, erosion, animals, littering, and open defication. Despite the students and community members often boiling this dirty water before drinking, cases of typhoid and diarrheal sickness are still often reported. Once in a while, drinking this water can result in fatal complications. To avoid such an ill fate, fathers and mothers spend a huge amount of resources to get medical care for themselves and their families.

Sanitation Situation

There are two double-door pit latrines, but they are all in poor condition. There are no hand-washing stations at the school, not even near the latrines. There is one dish rack for students to dry their water containers and other utensils, but that is not nearly enough. Garbage is disposed of in what was observed to be a very full compost pit.

After the assessment of the school during our first visit, it became obvious that there is a huge deficit of information concerning hygiene and sanitation both among Iguyio Primary School students and the greater community. When talking with Headmistress Adelide Mwinamo, she shared that, "the community surround the school is bad, and community members don't embrace proper hygiene and sanitation standards. The ability of community members (including students) fetching water from the passing river has highly exposed them to waterborne diseases like typhoid and diarrhea."

Thus, the headmistress wrote a letter on behalf of Iguyio Primary School expressing their need for assistance. Headmistress Mwinamo discovered WEWASAFO and their water and sanitation work through a successfully completed project at a neighboring school. She knows that after a water project, her students' health will improve. Not only that, but their academic performance will improve as well!

Plans: Hygiene and Sanitation Training

The headmistress, her staff, students and teachers have all agreed to do what is necessary to make this water project a success. They will be required to attend two days of hygiene and sanitation training whereat they will learn how to maintain water and sanitation facilities and keep their drinking water clean and safe. The facilitator plans to use PHAST (Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Training), ABCD (Asset-Based Community Development, CTC (child to child), discussions, lectures, handouts, and demonstrations to teach many topics concerning water, health, hygiene, and sanitation. The CTC method will prepare students to lead other students into healthy habits, as well as kickstart a CTC club for the school.

Plans: Rainwater Catchment Tank

A 30,000-liter rainwater catchment tank will be constructed on school grounds. Teachers, students, and parents will gather the local materials needed for this project, including sand, ballast, bricks, and hardcore. This contribution will fuel a sense of responsibility for the school and community to take care of their new facilities. Once materials are mobilized, the WEWASAFO team will arrive to lead the construction effort.

Plans: VIP Latrines

Two triple-door latrines will be constructed, providing three new latrines for each gender. Latrine materials will be mobilized the same way as the tank, ensuring the school feels these facilities are truly theirs.

Plans: Hand-Washing Stations

Two hand-washing stations will be delivered to the school before training. These come in the form of two 60-liter containers fitted with a tap. The training facilitator will demonstrate how to properly wash hands, and then students will have a chance to practice in groups. The CTC club will be responsible for filling the hand-washing containers on a daily basis.

The school has great faith that with new facilities coupled with training, hygiene and sanitation standards will improve. Thus, they anticipate a positive change in students' academic performance.

Project Updates


December, 2017: A Year Later: Iguyio Primary School

A year ago, generous donors helped build a rainwater catchment system and latrines for Iguyio Primary School in Kenya. Because of these gifts and contributions from our monthly donors, partners can visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the actual water project. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – we’re excited to share this one from our partner, Joan Were, with you.




Project Photos


Project Type

For a rainwater collection system, we build gutters around a building with good, clean roofing to channel rain where we want it. From there, the water falls through a filtered inlet pipe into a high-capacity storage tank, the size of which is based on population and average rainfall patterns. In the tank, water can be stored for months, where it is easily treated and accessed. Learn more here!


A Year Later: Iguyio Primary School

December, 2017

Now we have access to clean water for drinking and we no longer waste studying time going to the river.

Keeping The Water Promise

There's an incredible community of monthly donors who have come alongside you in supporting clean water in Iguyio Primary School Rainwater Catchment Project.

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Iguyio Primary School Rainwater Catchment Project maintain access to safe, reliable water. Together, they keep The Water Promise.

We’re confident you'll love joining this world-changing group committed to sustainability!

A year ago, generous donors helped build a rainwater catchment system and latrines for Iguyio Primary School in Kenya. Because of these gifts and contributions from our monthly donors, partners can visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the actual water project. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – we’re excited to share this one from our partner, Joan Were, with you.


School administration has stepped up to ensure that this rainwater catchment tank continues to serve students with clean water. 14-year-old student Abigail Khayosa told us, "The tank has really helped us as students. Before it, we used to fetch water from a river which is an hour away from the school... just to clean our latrines and classrooms! Now we have access to clean water for drinking and we no longer waste studying time going to the river." However, she added that "during the evening when we clean our classrooms, we must line up at the tank for a long time as we wait for community members to fetch water."

Abigail standing beside her senior teacher after fetching water from the tank.

We asked the senior teacher, Erick Akumonyo, about this. He admitted that "the water tank not only serves the school, but also the neighboring community. The villagers feel entitled to the water because they helped construct the tank. During the dry season, we lock the tap to sustain or students for a longer period of time, but the community members come and break the tap."

Thankfully, Mr. Akumonyo said there's enough clean water to meet the needs of his school. "We as Iguyio Primary School are very happy with this water project. Our students no longer have to go to the river to fetch water for cleaning the classrooms and latrines. Cleaning is now swift and enjoyable for the students and we have access to clean water for drinking and cooking," he said.


Joan Were and the rest of WeWaSaFo staff will continue to visit Iguyio Primary School to best support them as they resolve disputes with neighboring community members.

The Water Project and our partners are committed to consistent monitoring of each water source. Our monitoring and evaluation program, made possible by monthly donors, allows us to visit communities up to 4 times a year. Read more about our program and how you can help.


Navigating through intense dry spells, performing preventative maintenance, conducting quality repairs when needed and continuing to assist community leaders to manage water points are all normal parts of keeping projects sustainable. The Water Promise community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Iguyio Primary School Rainwater Catchment Project maintain access to safe, reliable water.

We’d love for you to join this world-changing group committed to sustainability.

The most impactful way to continue your support of Iguyio Primary School Rainwater Catchment Project – and hundreds of other places just like this – is by joining our community of monthly givers.

Your monthly giving will help provide clean water, every month... keeping The Water Promise.