We are sad to report that this well has collapsed and is unrepairable. But thankfully, the team has intervened and installed a new water source at this school. Click here to see!
This project is a part of our shared program with Bridge Water Project. Our team is pleased to directly share the below report (edited for clarity, as needed).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Located in the vicinity of rural Mumias, St. Elizabeth Lureko Girls School has both day and boarding sections. The school was started in the year 2005 and registered as a public school. The school has Forms 1&2 (Freshman and Sophomore) which are divided into two sections each. Forms 3 and 4 (junior and senior) each have their own section.
The school enrolls girls from the local communities as well as from other neighboring sub-counties.
Most girls come from middle class families that practice small scale farming and poultry farming.
In the year 2007, a well was drilled in the school through the support and contributions of parents, teachers and well wishers. This was meant to save the school from the high costs spent in paying bills to the piped water supply company that is not very reliable and only works once or twice a week. The well was also a justifiable need, so as to help the girls secure time for studies rather than walking long distances looking for water when the piped water is not affordable or available.
In addition, the well was meant to improve the hygiene and sanitation conditions of the school.
As a result of acquiring a locally made hand pump, the school has never enjoyed the services of this well. The locally made pump was more affordable to buy, but made with less durable materials. Therefore the it had to be repaired on several occasions until no more repairs could be done. The hand pump was later dismantled and now the school suffers the problems of a lack of adequate clean water.
By supporting the school through the rehabilitation of this well, the girls will have enough time for studies and the school will spend less money in paying water bills.
CURRENT WATER SOURCE
The school currently has an access to piped water supply which is costly and not reliable. There is a water storage tank in place used to store water when supply is interrupted, but it usually does not have an adequate amount of water for a school population of 328.
POPULATION
The school has a population of 300 girls, 18 teachers and 10 support staff.
HYGIENE & SANITATION
The school has one pit latrine with six doors. There is a dumping site for solid waste management but not well secured.
The school's dormitories are installed with bathing rooms.
There is no designated place for washing clothes.
There is only one hand washing station for teachers.
ASSESSING THE NEED
Water is needed in this school for the purposes of drinking, washing, cooking, and other related activities.
PROJECT BENEFICIARIES
The project will be of great benefit to the school girls and teachers.
WATER COMMITTEE
The project will be directly managed by the school management committee.
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
PHASE 1: HYGIENE AND SANITATION TRAINING
Despite the fact that there is a continued conflict between the teachers and the Kenyan government to which until now the schools have not resumed for their third term studies, we were lucky to find a quorum of form three and four in school who were doing their part time studies.
The atmosphere in the school at the time was quite tense because the commencement of classes was unknown due to the teacher strike. Although some teachers and students were there, normal school activities were note taking place. Due to this, the head principle only allowed us to be on the school grounds for 1 and half hours to conduct the training, which is a much shorter time then we usually spend for trainings
In this shortened period of time, we were still able to conduct the training for the girls together with the head principle. During the training, the following topics were dealt with:
1. Hand washing.
2. Fetching and drinking clean water.
3. The clean school and its environment.
4. Germ free food.
5. How to prevent diarrhea.
6. Personal hygiene.
Proper hand washing
This is done after visiting latrines and before eating; by so doing, the school has to ensure availability of hand washing facility, soap, and water.
Good personal hygiene
The school has to help the pupils have clean clothes, trimmed fingernails, short and neat hair, clean face and body and clean handkerchiefs.
Maintaining cleanness of the school compound and the classrooms
This will be made possible by making duty rosters, regular observations, and availability of cleaning materials.
Diarrhea disease prevention
To break the cycle of the disease, the girls were trained on proper hand washing by use of soap or ash, wash fruits before eating and ensure proper preparation of food among other practices.
PHASE 2: PAD CONSTRUCTION
Due to the ongoing strike in Kenya, the construction team did the construction phase in absence of teachers and students. Only a few school workers were present.
Having materials availed on the ground, the men begun to work as the school workers helped in collecting water from the stream to be used for construction work.
Through the support of the school principle who was not present in school during this phase, meals were organized and prepared by the school workers.
The work was well done and the pad was left to cure.
PHASE 3: PUMP INSTALLATION AND HANDING OVER
Once the well pad had cured, the service team went back for the pump installation process.
The process was done successfully without any challenges although neither student nor a teacher was in school at this time.
By the virtue of finding the form three and four in school at the time of the hygiene and sanitation training, a handing over of the project was done immediately after the training. The girls and the school principle were very happy to see there well back in use.
For this reason, the school principle anticipated for good academic and curriculum results since the girls will no longer waste time in search of good and clean water.
The existence of the rehabilitated well is also anticipated to bring a positive impact on the hygiene and sanitation condition of this school.
