Kenya: Unoa School VIP Latrines
Posted by Steve Hall on October 3
Unoa Primary School was established in 1950, with Mr. William Mulu as the inaugural headteacher. Currently, the school is led by Mrs. Winfred Sila. The school, situated in Wote town adjacent to the AIC church and the National Cereal and Produce Board, occupies 11.5 acres of land with a title deed. It is a public mixed day and boarding primary/integrated school overseen by the Board of Management. Additionally, there is a small home unit established in 1982 in response to the rising number of disability cases in the region. This home unit has expanded to accommodate 60 physically challenged learners. The school has an enrollment of 1,262 pupils, with 615 boys and 646 girls, and boasts 31 equipped learning classrooms.
During typical school days, students begin their lessons at 8:20 am and finish at 3:10 pm, with two breaks at 10 am and 1 pm, the latter being the lunch break. The subjects covered include mathematics, English, Kiswahili, science, social studies, CRE, music, and physical exercises. Daily, from 3:10 to 4:10 pm, they participate in games and co-curricular activities such as football, netball, and other sports, as well as athletics and music festival competitions with other schools. Following the games, teachers conduct remedial classes for students who need additional support from 4:10 pm to 5:00 pm.
The school management committee identified a shortage of toilets, especially for the girls in both lower and upper primary grades. With 646 girls sharing only eight latrines, the facilities became overused and dirty by the end of the school day. As a result, significant time was wasted as girls had to wait in line for over an hour to use the restroom.
Our implementing partner, BISEP, has completed the construction of a 12-unit Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) Latrine, which will serve 646 girls. BISEP ensured that the facility was built to recommended standards using quality materials. Additionally, it is expected that the school management will play a crucial role in the ongoing maintenance of the facility. The design allows for the contents to be extracted for reuse once the latrine is full.
Thanks to the following for supporting this project!
