Rehabilitation Project
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
St. Peter's Compassion Primary School was established by the Anglican Church of Kenya Diocese of Maseno North in 2007. It began with 208 pupils, and has grown to its current 328 pupils. The school employs 15 teachers and four support staff.
The school is open from Monday to Saturday, with students normally arriving by 7AM when they begin a cleaning routine before assembly. Normal classes go until lunch at 12:30PM and then resume at 1:30PM. They have game time from 3:30PM until 4:30PM when they are sent home.
This school is full of children who are orphans, impoverished, and vulnerable. If a student isn't infected with HIV/AIDS, it's likely they are at least affected by it. Those infected are supported through the provision of nutritional supplements.
Mr. William Osaka is the chairman of the school board, and he is the one who applied for help on behalf of his school. He visited Isabella Spring and learnt of how the people living around there had been given clean water, and immediately wrote a letter to our office.
Water Situation
There is a well on school grounds which entirely dries up from December to March. There is a 1,000-liter plastic storage tank that fills with rainwater, but it is nowhere large enough to serve hundreds of students. Because of this, students are often sent to fetch water from a spring located 200 meters away from school.
To help alleviate the search for water that continues throughout the day, students are required to bring their own containers of water from home. There is no way to verify where this water comes from. What we do know is that this water is contaminated; after drinking it students complain of stomachaches and diarrhea, which are most likely signs of typhoid.
Sanitation Situation
The school has four latrines, allowing for two each gender. The 15 teachers must walk over to the neighboring church to borrow those latrines. The four latrines on school grounds are not enough for the hundreds of students, which results in long lines and wasted time. These latrines are almost full, too.
There are two hand-washing stations, but no soap or ash. There were also helpful tools like dish racks for students to dry their utensils on after lunch. Both students and staff feel positive about hygiene and sanitation, and look forward to the opportunity to learn more.
Plans: Hygiene and Sanitation Training
Parents, teachers, and students will be trained for two days of sessions on hygiene and sanitation.
This training is meant to equip participants with the skills needed to practice good hygiene, and to promote these practices among peers and the greater community. The end goal is to eliminate water and hygiene-related diseases!
The facilitator plans to use PHAST (Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Training), CTC (child to child), discussions, lectures, and demonstrations to teach topics including but not limited to disease transmission, hand-washing, and water treatment. After our initial assessment of conditions, our facilitator also plans to strongly emphasize the importance of having and using both latrine and hand-washing facilities. 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 50,000-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 (Which they’ve already started doing!). 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. Once construction wraps up, the tank will begin collecting valuable rainwater that we will disinfect with chlorine; water that is safe for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and everything else that students need! Students will no longer waste class time searching for water that often ends up being too dirty for drinking.
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. And with a rainwater catchment tank nearby, there will be enough water to keep them clean.
Plans: Hand-Washing Stations
Two hand-washing stations will be delivered to the school before training. These new stations 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 and seeing that there’s enough cleaning agent. They will be able to follow through with this thanks to the water tank on school grounds.
The actions described above will give students an environment that is conducive to learning. It’ll free up so much time that was used going to and from the spring. This is an opportunity they deserve!
Mr. Olaka said, "I thank the Almighty God for you identifying this school among many school in the area and entire county for the construction of a water tank and VIP toilets."
