Project Status



Project Type:  Rainwater Catchment

Regional Program: Southeastern Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 108 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Jul 2017

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 02/16/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

This project is a part of our shared program with Africa Sand Dam Foundation. Our team is pleased to directly share the below report (edited for clarity, as needed).

Welcome to the School

Founded in 1957, Muthei Secondary School currently serves 100 students, 56 of whom are boys and 44 are girls. It also employs eight teachers and three support staff. Many members of the Kisaila Self-Help Group send their children to this school and are all too aware of the water situation here. That is why the group’s first project request, upon joining ASDF, was for a water tank at the school.

Water Situation

The school has two plastic water tanks, one with a capacity of 10,000 liters and the other is 2,500 liters. These fill up with rainwater during the rainy season, with the rain being dispersed between tanks and a tap by the kitchen. Students and staff can rely on this for a while, but not for too long. The 12,500 liters of water is barely enough to last the school for a whole term, since their daily water need is 450 liters. These tanks normally get used up within two months, plunging the school into an acute water shortage until rains return.

When this happens, the pupils bear the burden of providing water for their school day. They are required to fetch their own water and carry at least five liters every day. For the teachers’ cooking and drinking, the school buys water from some parents, who fetch and transport the water at 20 shillings per container. In turn, the school keeps upping the students' fees to acquire enough water.

The children fetch their water from any source they can find on the way, whether it be a river, well, or puddle. The inability for quality control opens a window for contaminated water, and waterborne disease is thus a common issue at the school. These diseases force many students to stay home from school. Or if they make it to class, they suffer extreme discomfort. Some students even have to lie down on the ground throughout the day.

Deputy Headteacher Peter Kavutu says that "many students miss school when it is declared compulsory for the children to bring water to school. But we use this measure since it's not possible for the school to run without water!"

Sanitation Situation

There are six pit latrines, but they are in poor condition. This coupled with a water shortage makes for filthy, smelly latrines. The resulting low sanitation standards are especially dangerous to the children who don't have shoes.

There are no hand-washing stations on school grounds, because there wouldn't be enough water to fill them. The school has dug a garbage pit out back, where frequent bonfires keep the pile low.

Plans: Hygiene and Sanitation Training

Students and staff will be trained for one day. Those in attendance will form a school health club that will promote good hygiene and sanitation practices both at school and home. They will learn all of the steps to proper hand-washing, how to treat water, and how to keep their environment clean. The school will also be taught how to best oversee and maintain their new rainwater catchment tank and hand-washing stations.

Plans: Hand-Washing Stations

Three hand-washing stations will be delivered at the project’s completion. These are 250-liter plastic tanks fitted with taps. The health club and school management will be responsible for making sure tanks are filled with water and that a cleaning agent such as soap or ash is available.

Plans: Rainwater Catchment Tank

We will build a 103,000-liter rainwater catchment tank for this school. This water will benefit the students, teachers, and supplementary staff. Parents will mobilize the materials needed for construction, such as sand and stone. They will also lend some strong arms to help with the actual construction.

The huge capacity of this tank makes the others look tiny in comparison; 103,000 liters should collect enough water to carry students through the entire dry season. As soon as the tank has time to cure, it can begin to collect rainwater for drinking, cooking and cleaning!

Project Updates


September, 2018: A Year After: Muthei Secondary School

A year ago, generous donors helped build a rainwater catchment tank for students at Muthei Secondary School. 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...




September, 2018: A Year After: Muthei Secondary School

A year ago, generous donors helped build a rainwater catchment tank for students at Muthei Secondary School. 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...




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 After: Muthei Secondary School

September, 2018

Cases of stomach problems used to be rampant, but with the new water source and handwashing points, the cases are minimal.

Keeping The Water Promise

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

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Muthei Secondary 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, generous donors helped build a rainwater catchment tank for students at Muthei Secondary School. 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 – and we’re excited to share this one from Titus Mbithi with you.


Muthei Secondary School is still a young school, but it has experienced rapid growth with the presence of water on campus. This water has saved the school money that is now used for our development projects such as constructing new classrooms. Muthei Secondary has been a day school, but they are discussing plans to open a boarding section that will host students who walk long distances each morning.

"We no longer buy water anymore. This saves the school around 8,000 shillings ($80) per month... The savings are being utilized in implementing development projects in our school," confirmed Principal Wambua.

"Now, we have enough water supply in school, which has made handwashing a reality and creates a high level of hygiene and sanitation."

From left to right: Student Caroline Munini, Titus Mbithi, and Principal Wambua

17-year-old Caroline Munini remembers the school days without water.

"Now, we are getting enough clean water in school which has created satisfaction among students. Cases of stomach problems used to be rampant, but with the new water source and handwashing points, the cases are minimal," she said

When asked about any continuing challenges, Caroline honestly responded that water has solved a majority of her problems.

Constructing this rainwater catchment tank was 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.

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 Muthei Secondary 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 Muthei Secondary 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

Project Underwriter - Jenifer Beaudean-White
McKesson Foundation - Lisa and Adam Lawrence
Data Abstract Solutions, Inc.
I-Shou International School
Michael and Kristi Ballou
Isla Vista Elementary 2nd Grade ALD class
Fernwood Baptist Church of Spartanburg, SC
Olivia Birthday Group
Isabella Sio
Loyola Academy
North Dunedin Baptist Church
Roberta Bondar P.S K3
NeeNee's Grand Givers
St Catherine of Siena 4th Grade Students
JD Perkins School
31 individual donor(s)