December, 2018: A Year Later: Lureko Girls Secondary School

A year ago, your generous donation enabled us to construct a rainwater tank for Lureko Girls Secondary 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...

February, 2018: Lureko Girls Secondary School Project Complete

Lureko Girls Secondary 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 young ladies!

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.

Project Result: New Knowledge

The principal worked with us to schedule the best time for teachers and students to attend hygiene and sanitation training. We trained 34 student leaders from different grades who will take what they learn and share it with their peers and families back home. These girls will also form a CTC (child to child) health club that is responsible for maintaining facilities and organizing activities that raise awareness about hygiene and sanitation.

We all met in the school science laboratory since all other classrooms were in use. There were also two teachers in attendance who plan to supervise the CTC club and their activities. (Editor's Note: Though the school has a great laboratory equipped with sinks, a lack of water renders these facilities useless. The government invests in classrooms, laboratories, and technology, but does not yet have an official plan to establish clean water points.)

We taught that hygiene entails personal hygiene, water hygiene, and environmental hygiene. Attention needs to be given to each facet of hygiene to enjoy a healthy life.

An entire lesson was 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

– Cleaning self and clean environment

– 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.

The new hand-washing stations were delivered in time for training demonstrations.

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. And since the tank was finished by the time we held training, we could take everyone to see exactly what we were talking about when it comes to caring for their new water source.

These girls and teachers took in so much new information. We set aside our final session for review, and not one question went unanswered. 16-year-old Ashley Ochieng' said, "We are really impressed with the wonderful knowledge on health and hygiene that you have shared with us. I believe that it will help us improve on our standards of sanitation and hygiene."

Project Result: VIP Latrines

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

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 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.

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 and women even helped our artisans with their manual labor. Students themselves shuttled bricks from the purchase location to the construction site. With their great participation in helping our artisans, we know that students and staff will take great care of their new resources.

The beginnings of this project were during national elections when the country was tense; this actually caused some delays in the delivery of materials. Peace prevailed, and work could finally continue.

The construction process officially 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.

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. The catchment area was dug, plastered, and a staircase installed.

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.

Drainage was set up, and then the tank was given three to four weeks to undergo complete curing before it was cleaned and handed over to Lureko Girls Secondary School. It already has some water in it!

Principal Josephine Omamo said, "On behalf of the school, I really appreciate the wonderful work you have done to our school. Indeed it's a great pleasure to have sanitation platforms (latrines) together with access to safe drinking water. May God bless you abundantly as you keep reaching many schools and communities to promote sanitation and hygiene."

January, 2018: Lureko Girls Secondary School Project Underway

Lureko Girls Secondary 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 girls! 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!