October, 2018: A Year Later: Ebusiloli Primary School

A year ago, generous donors helped construct a rainwater catchment tank for Ebusiloli Primary School in Kenya. The contributions of incredible monthly donors and others giving directly to The Water Promise allow teams to visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the water project over time. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories. Read more...

July, 2017: Ebusiloli Primary School Project Complete

Ebusiloli Primary School in Kenya now has a new source of safe, clean water thanks to your generous donation. A new rainwater catchment system has been built, and there are now six new latrines being used. Two hand-washing stations have been installed, and the entire student body has received training in sanitation and hygiene. Just imagine the difference these resources will make in the lives of these children!

You made it happen, now help keep the water flowing! Join our team of monthly donors and help us maintain this rainwater catchment tank and many other projects.

The report below from our partner gives the latest details of the project. We also just updated the project page with new pictures.

Project Result: New Knowledge

Hygiene and sanitation training was held in a large classroom. The headteacher was responsible for selecting teachers, parent representatives, and students to attend. It was apparent that all students there have great leadership qualities and will share what they learn with their peers and families.

We taught an entire lesson on management and maintenance of the new tank and latrine facilities. Regular checking and cleaning of the gutter system is a must! It’s also important to treat the water while it is still in the tank. We also covered topics including but not limited to:

– Water pollution and water treatment

– Personal and environmental hygiene

– Group dynamics, leadership, and governance

– Forming an effective CTC (child to child) club

– Hand-washing

We used a number of different ways to teach the above topics, while demonstrations were used for hand-washing and tooth-brushing. We facilitated group discussions and presentations. The students also received handouts which will help them teach hygiene and sanitation to their peers.

Students discussing the activities illustrated and how they can affect health.

The child to child club will include both students and teachers who want to take responsibility for spreading the message of good health and hygiene among their peers. They will also be responsible for taking care of the new hand-washing stations, making sure they are always filled with water and that a cleaning agent like soap or ash is available. A water user committee has also been formed by parents and school administration, which will be responsible for overseeing and maintaining the new facilities.

At the end of the training each participant was still yearning for more information. But since trainings had to be done in another institution the following day, we asked them to make plans and invite our trainers again. That way, we'd have an opportunity to train all parents, teachers and pupils who weren't there the first time. Pupils have already improvised extra hand-washing facilities, and the school compound and its buildings are very tidy, indicating that indeed what was learned during the training was taken seriously.

Teacher Naftali Rune said, "We count ourselves blessed for having been selected among the few to receive this project which comes with such important knowledge. I'm among the oldest with a lot of experience in this training, but there are so many things you have taught me that I had never known, thank you so much our facilitators!"

Students and staff learning about their new water tank.

Project Result: Hand-Washing Stations

The two hand-washing stations were delivered to school and handed over to the CTC club. They will teach other students how to properly wash their hands at these stations, and will make sure there is always soap or ash available. Now the school has the stations they need, and they have the water to fill them! The CTC students even want to make their own hand-washing stations to give every student the opportunity to wash their hands.

Project Result: VIP Latrines

This project funded the installation of six new VIP (ventilated improved pit) latrines. These latrines are easy to use and easy to clean. And with a rainwater catchment tank, there should be enough water to keep them clean all the time!

Project Result: Rainwater Catchment Tank

Construction on this 50,0000-liter tank began in May.

Parents, staff, and students first helped our artisans gather everything needed for construction. All the while, women cooked meals for the artisans, and the school provided accommodations for the artisans during their work.

Students building a ladder to help the artisans work on the tank dome.

The construction of the rainwater tank began with clearance of the site: excavating the soil within the required measurements to make level ground for the tank foundation. The casting of the foundation was done by laying hardcore on a level ground and then reinforcing it using steel, concrete and waterproof cement.

Laying the foundation.

As the foundation was being lain, both the drawing pipe as well as the washout pipe were affixed. The wall was built with ferro-cement techniques through six layers. The inner wall was plastered while rough casting was done on the outer part.

After the superstructure had been given enough time to settle, the dome followed. The manhole cover was fitted, inlet pipes were connected to the roof gutters, inlet screens, ventilation pipes (breathers) and overflow pipes were all done to standards.

Finally, the catchment area was done by building a staircase. Drainage was set up there, and then the tank was allowed 14 days to undergo complete curing before it was cleaned and handed over to Ebusiloli Primary School.

The commendable work done by pupils cannot be ignored, as they helped carry bricks from the brick maker's home to the school. They also split firewood used for cooking, and also helped transport water to the construction site. Teachers also made the field officers laugh by sending every child who committed grievances to help in construction work as a form of punishment - yet some children seemed to really enjoy it!

Students make an assembly line to shuttle bricks to the construction site.

Headmaster Julius Emonyi told us "By provision of a water tank, latrines, hand-washing facilities and a very rich training, it seems like you have solved all the problems of Ebusiloli. There is no more outbreak of diseases as it used to be - you can see our very tidy compound and classrooms, peace is reigning in our school and I can assure you that come December we will be among the top performing schools in the county, since the challenges that used to drag us behind have been dealt with in an utter manner."

Learning at Ebusiloli Primary School has become enjoyable. There used to be enmity among different groups of people. Now it has ended, and each person sees the other as a brother or sister, and teachers and pupils have parent-child relationships. "Initially some of my colleagues would not even want Mondays to come because they could remember insults directed to them by parents or children; this community was so hostile. Some children could miss lessons because of fear of intimidation or unresolved conflicts that could see some fight along the way and I assure you it wasn't easy to teach here, and it was so hard for some pupils to learn with bitterness and vengeful thoughts against one another," Teacher Rune explained. "But now I assure you that we have peace because of that training we had," he added. The school has become united as parents - even those who had never stepped in school apart from the time they brought their children for admission - have visited the institution to check on teachers and even make peace. Many students have apologized for insulting teachers and their peers. Parents who never used to see eye to eye on things are now at peace with each other, and many have been seen helping the other. Teachers report that even students from rival clans are now friends; they are seen playing and walking home together, for they have put their differences aside to achieve a common goal. Peacefully united minds also do great work together for the greater success of the community, and in this unity the community will achieve much.