Kilolo Borehole
Kilolo Secondary School, located in the Kilolo District of Iringa, Tanzania, is a government institution. It accommodates 1011 students, with a distribution of 610 girls and 401 boys across forms 1 to 4. The school employs a total of 27 staff members, comprising both teaching and non-teaching personnel.
The absence of safe water at Kilolo School, like many other villages and schools in Iringa, posed a significant challenge. Students often spent considerable time, usually walking 2 km each way, to collect water for drinking, cleaning, and cooking. Additionally, they were responsible for bringing water to school every morning, often sourcing it from rivers and small streams along the way. This time-consuming task adversely affected their academic performance. Teachers, too, would accompany the students, losing valuable classroom time. Moreover, these local water sources, often shared with animals, were unsafe and unclean, leading to widespread waterborne diseases.
The overall objective of this project was to provide access to clean water for the students at Kilolo Secondary School. Our implementing partner, St. Paul Partners (SSP), successfully installed a borehole well on the school grounds! This will ensure students have access to enough safe water, which will lead to more time in the classroom studying. Plentiful, safe water will also have a significant impact on the health of the students, teachers and neighbors around the village.
SSP representatives worked with the school administration to identify a suitable location for a borehole well that would have a hand pump. This 30M deep well was drilled, flushed, and tested to the standards of St. Paul Partners. The project included the furnishing of all materials, labor and supervision required during drilling. To ensure the project’s sustainability, WASH training was conducted at Kilolo School. Students and staff were trained to use the hand pump and ensure its sustainability. This training aimed to strengthen the schools’ and villages’ sense of ownership towards the project. The school leaders promise to take good care of the well for many years.
Thanks to the following for supporting this project:
Louisburg High School Interact Club, KS
Matoska International, MN
