Project Status



Project Type:  Rainwater Catchment

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 500 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Oct 2017

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 03/05/2024

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

Emukangu Primary School was established in 2000 as a community school. One year after the school was established, the government took over because the student population was growing so quickly.

It started with a student population of 30, but now has 567. There is also an adjacent early education section that is sponsored by the Anglican Church of Kenya, Diocese of Maseno South. The early education section of the school has a total of 74 students. Emukangu Primary School employs a total of 21 teachers and five support staff. (Editor's Note: While this many people may have access on any given day, realistically a single water source can only support a population of 350-500 people.  This community would be a good candidate for a second project in the future so adequate water is available. To learn more, click here.)

The school’s motto is "hard work pays." On a normal day, the pupils report to school at 7am. They carry out routine cleaning of the compound, like sweeping and cleaning latrines. The next activity is morning assembly at 7:30am. At the assembly, students are led in Christian studies and prayer. Classes start at 8am and go until 12:30pm when students return home for lunch with their families. Afternoon classes begin at 1:45pm and end at 3:30pm, and then there's game time. After game time, the pupils congregate for evening assembly. The day ends at 4:30pm when the pupils are dismissed and return home.

Water Situation

The school has a 6,000-liter plastic container that can catch water during the rainy season. However, that isn't nearly enough for the drinking, cooking, and cleaning that needs to happen on a daily basis.

The pupils are required to carry water from their respective homes using plastic jerrycans. Once this is used up, the students are sent out to fetch water from a spring located about half a kilometer from the school, and activity that interferes with their regular class time.

Because water is coming from different sources, there is no way to guarantee it is safe for consumption. Once the water is delivered back to school, it is either dumped in 100-liter buckets in the kitchen for cooking or kept in the same containers.

After drinking this water there are complaints from students about stomachaches and diarrhea, which are both symptoms of typhoid.

Sanitation Situation

Emukangu Primary School has a total of 14 VIP latrines out of which two are for teachers and visitors and the other 12 for students. Out of the 12 for students, four are for boys and eight are for girls. The early education section shares these same latrines. The latrines are not enough compared to the student population (640 pupils, 21 teachers and five workers) and has resulted in students wasting a lot of time lining up during break. And due to the shortage of water, a good number of latrines are never cleaned and thus cannot be used. A good number of latrine doors are missing, too. The school has a urinal area but students are vulnerable to infections as they use both the latrines and urinals without shoes.

The school has one hand-washing station in the form of a plastic bucket and just meant to be poured over hands.

Headteacher Cecilia Anangwe said, "it is high time the school got the toilets and water tank, or else the school be closed down by the Department of Public Health! The Water Project through WEWASAFO has just come in at the very right time and this is indeed God sent!"

Plans: Hygiene and Sanitation Training and Hand-Washing Stations

Training will be held for two days. The facilitator will use PHAST (participatory hygiene and sanitation transformation), ABCD (asset-based community development), CTC (child to child), lectures, group discussions, and handouts to teach health topics and ways to promote good practices within the school. The CTC method will prepare students to lead other students into healthy habits, as well as kickstart a CTC club for the school. This CTC club will oversee the new facilities, such as hand-washing stations, and make sure they are kept clean and in working condition. The two hand-washing stations will be delivered to the school, and the club will fill them with water on a daily basis and make sure there is always a cleaning agent such as soap or ash.

Plans: VIP Latrines

Two triple-door latrines will be constructed with local materials that the school will help gather. Three doors will serve the girls while the other three serve the boys. And with a new source of water on school grounds, students and staff should have enough to keep these new latrines clean.

Plans: Rainwater Catchment Tank

A 50,000-liter rainwater catchment tank will help alleviate the water crisis at this school. The school will also help gather the needed materials such as sand, rocks, and water from the spring for mixing cement (students have already started helping). Once finished, this tank can begin catching rainfall that will be used by the school’s students and staff. Students will no longer have to leave their school in search of water.

We and the school strongly believe that with this assistance, standards will significantly improve. These higher standards will translate to better academic performance!

Project Updates


October, 2018: A Year Later: Emukangu Primary School

A year ago, your generous donation enabled us to construct a new rainwater catchment tank for Emukangu Primary School in Kenya. The contributions of incredible monthly donors and others giving directly to The Water Promise allow our local 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...




October, 2017: Emukangu Primary School Project Complete

Emukangu 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 students have 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

The headteacher of the school, Mrs. Cecilia Anangwe was in charge of organizing the training as directed by our training officers. She was asked to select pupils from standards five and six, as well as finding a teacher to head up the CTC club to be formed.

22 students met us in one of the classrooms. They were eager to learn about hygiene and sanitation and how it can help them not only at school, but at home too.

4 kenya4677 training

Participants gather for a group picture after training.

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

Demonstrations were used for hand-washing, tooth-brushing, solar disinfection, and many other topics. We facilitated group discussions and presentations, and students took part in role-plays. The students also received handouts which will help them teach hygiene and sanitation to their peers.

6 kenya4677 training

Students gathering around to learn the 10 steps of hand-washing.

The CTC 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 managing hand-washing stations, cleaning latrines, and keeping the school environment tidy. A water user committee has also been formed by parents and school administration, which will be responsible for overseeing and maintaining the new facilities.

1 kenya4677 training

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!

16 kenya4677 finished latrine

Project Result: Hand-Washing Stations

The two hand-washing stations were delivered to school and handed over to the CTC club. These have been placed outside of the boys' and girls’ latrines to encourage hand-washing after latrine use. CTC club members 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!

15 kenya4677 hand-washing station

Project Result: Rainwater Catchment Tank

Construction for this 50,000-liter rainwater catchment tank was successful!

Parents, staff, and students 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. Some local men even helped our artisans with their manual labor.

8 kenya4677 students fetching water for construction

Parents make trips to deliver water used for the mixing of cement and other construction purposes.

The process began with our staff and school administration moving around the school compound to try and determine the best location for a new rainwater catchment tank. This needed to be the best site with good, clean roofing to catch the rainwater.

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

13 kenya4677 wire structure for wall

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 construction 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.

14 kenya4677 tank construction

Finally, the catchment area was dug, plastered, and a staircase installed. Drainage was set up there, and then the tank was allowed three to four weeks to undergo complete curing before it was cleaned and handed over to Emukangu Primary School. It already has some water in it!




August, 2017: Clean Water Coming to Emukangu Primary School

Emukangu Primary School will soon have an adequate source of clean water thanks to your generous donation! A rainwater catchment tank and new latrines are being constructed, hand-washing stations provided, and the school is being trained on proper sanitation and hygiene practices. Imagine the impact this will have on these students! Thank you for noticing the need here, and we’ll keep you posted as the work continues. But for now, enjoy our introduction to the school complete with stories, maps, and pictures.

Thank You for partnering with us to unlock potential!




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: Emukangu Primary School

October, 2018

The available water has helped change Deograciuos Ouma’s story. He says now he has plenty of time to study and achieve his dream of becoming a pilot.

Keeping The Water Promise

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

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Emukangu Primary School 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, your generous donation enabled us to construct a new rainwater catchment tank for Emukangu Primary School in Kenya. The contributions of incredible monthly donors and others giving directly to The Water Promise allow our local 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 – and we’re excited to share this one from Karen Maruti with you.

Things around here have changed for better.

Initially, the pupils used to go down the stream to fetch water. In doing so, they wasted a lot of valuable time that could have been spent studying. Keeping the school clean was not an easy task since the little water that was brought back to the school was used for the school lunch program.

But now the story is different. The school, toilets, and classrooms looked cleaner after the hygiene training and with the availability of water in the compound. Students are no longer seen going in and out of the school with their jerrycans filled with water. Those class interruptions have been put to a stop. This calm has created a good learning environment for pupils at Emukangu Primary School.

"This project has really improved our image and changed our status in this community," Teacher Patrick Anyembe said.

"We are really grateful for the project. We are confident that this will go a long way in improving the academic performance of our students."

Patrick Anyembe and students in front of the tank

Construction of the tank is only one step along the journey toward sustainable access to clean water. The Water Project is committed to consistent monitoring of each water source. Our monitoring and evaluation program, made possible by donors like you, allows us to maintain our relationships with communities by visiting up to 4 times each year to ensure that the water points are safe and reliable.

This is just one of the many ways that we monitor projects and communicate with you. Additionally, you can always check the functionality status and our project map to see how all of our water points are performing, based on our consistent monitoring data.

One project is just a drop in the bucket towards ending the global water crisis, but the ripple effects of this project are truly astounding. This tank in Emukangu Primary School is changing many lives.

"In the past, we used to go to the river and wasted a lot of time instead of studying. Now our story has changed. We have more time to study," 13-year-old Deograciuos Ouma said.

"I have all the reasons to pass my examinations and pursue the career of being a pilot."

This is only possible because of the web of support and trust built between The Water Project, our local teams, the community, and you. We are excited to stay in touch with this community and support their journey with safe water.

Read more about The Water Promise 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 Emukangu Primary School 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 Emukangu Primary School – 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.


Contributors

1 individual donor(s)