Water Blogged

Your contribution has given access to clean water for the St. Stephen Chepsaga Secondary School in Kenya, thanks to the completion of their borehole well! Clean, flowing water is already making a difference in the lives of the students and staff. This will provide them with a reliable water source for their daily needs. (Report provided by our implementing partner, The Water Project)

We installed new latrines and handwashing stations, then trained students and staff on improved sanitation and hygiene practices. Together, these components will unlock the opportunity for these students to thrive!

“Reliable water will give me more time in class because I won’t be sent to fetch water. I will use that time to study and improve my performance. With clean water in school, I will stay healthy and not miss lessons because of sickness,” said 17-year-old Wycleff.

Teachers were just as excited as the students about the new well on campus!

“This new water point will help us a lot as a school. It will reduce the need for students to go to the river, especially during the dry seasons, which means they now have more time in class. The availability of a new water point within the school has definitely improved, and this will support both teaching and learning. It will also strengthen our relationship with the surrounding community since they, too, can benefit. In addition, we will no longer depend on the rainwater storage tank, which is unreliable,” shared Deputy Head Teacher Moses Kasavuli.

The first step was to conduct a hydrogeological survey to determine the best site for the school’s well. Once we found the perfect spot, the team obtained government approval to begin drilling.

Parents, staff, and students all contributed to the well’s success from the start! To prepare for the well, the school collected fine sand and water for cement-making. When everything was ready, our drill team and staff arrived at the school to begin work.

“The community’s/school’s participation in the material-gathering and construction process at St. Stephen Chepsaga Secondary School was exemplary. From the onset, the school administration, led by the deputy head teacher, Mr. Moses Kasavuli, played a central role in mobilizing both materials and labor. Parents, teachers, students, and local community members came together to contribute building materials, offer manual labor, and provide logistical support whenever needed,” reported Field Officer Joel Shitindo Otuya.

Drilling started with excitement in the air. We continued drilling to reach a final depth of 100 meters with a final static water level of 5.7 meters.

The drilling process can take up to three consecutive days to complete due to this region’s hard bedrock, so the team set up a camp where they could rest and refuel. The school’s kitchen staff and parents helped provide meals for the team, while the school provided a safe place for the artisans’ accommodations and storage of their materials.

Once we reached the optimum depth, the team inserted permanent casing, then bailed out the dirty water at the bottom of the well. The workers installed pipes, flushed them, tested the well’s yield, and chlorinated the water.

We constructed a cement well pad to seal it off from any ground-level contaminants. Tiles were installed beneath the spout to protect the cement from the erosive force of the water. We included a short drainage channel and a soak pit to prevent standing water.

When the well pad was cured, we installed a new stainless steel hand pump and sampled the water for a quality test. The results showed that this water was safe for drinking!

We officially gave ownership of the new borehole to the school’s students and teachers.

Students and staff celebrated the presence of clean water on campus. The event provided an excellent opportunity to acknowledge the school administration and students, and to remind them of our continued support. Happiness, thanksgiving, and appreciation were the order of the day, flowing in all directions.

This project funded the installation of six new ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines. These new latrines feature cement floors designed for easy use and cleaning. They have locking doors for safety and privacy, as well as vents to keep air flowing out through the roof. With a well right on school property, there should be enough water to keep them clean.

We set up two handwashing stations outside the latrines. Student Health Club members will teach other students how to wash their hands at the stations properly, refill the stations with water, and ensure that soap is always available.

We scheduled hygiene and sanitation training with the school’s staff. When the training day arrived, facilitators Joel Otuya and Patience Njeri deployed to the site to lead the event. 12 students and teachers attended the training.

We emphasized personal, menstrual, oral, and environmental hygiene. Proper water handling, soap-making, the ten steps of handwashing, and the importance of primary health care were discussed. We covered disease prevention, teen pregnancy, and child rights. Waterpoint, latrine, and handwashing station operation and maintenance, as well as leadership and governance, were discussed. By the end of the training, each pupil understood their role in sustaining clean water and good health within their school community.

The students elected peers to lead their newly formed student health club. The student health club members will encourage good health and hygiene practices amongst their peers, teachers, and the larger community.

“The topic that prompted the most discussion and interest from the participants was menstrual hygiene. Students, especially the girls, were very engaged in this session as it addressed real challenges they face in school. Many asked questions about how to manage menstruation confidently and hygienically, and the discussion created an open space where misconceptions could be corrected. A memorable moment came when one student mentioned how difficult it had been for her to attend class during her menstrual period due to [a] lack of knowledge and facilities. The session gave her confidence and encouragement,” said Field Officer, Joel Shitindo Otuya.

16-year-old Diana agreed that the session on menstrual hygiene was impactful.

“I found menstrual hygiene [to be] the most interesting topic covered in the training because it helped me understand how girls can stay clean and comfortable in school. I learned that it is normal and nothing to be ashamed of,” she shared.

Thank you to Holy Taxiarhai and St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church in Illinois for helping make all of this possible!