St. Gerald Sasala Well Complete!
Your contribution has given access to clean water for the St. Gerald Sasala Primary 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. Here is the completion 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!
“I can now access clean and safe drinking and cleaning water. My general hygiene and cleanliness will improve. I will now have sufficient time to concentrate on my academic work for better results,” said 12-year-old Christabel.
Teachers were just as excited as the students about the new well on campus!
“The water will help my students now to improve their academic performance and have quality time to focus on their future dreams and aspirations. Their general hygiene will greatly improve. For the students that take meals at the school, they will have sufficient water to clean their utensils and quench their thirst. This will make them generally happy,” said Headteacher Boniface Lihungu.
The first step was to conduct a hydrogeological survey to determine the the best site for the school’s well. Once we found the perfect spot, the team obtained approval from the government to begin drilling.
Parents, staff, and students all contributed to this well’s success, right 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.
Drilling started with excitement in the air. We continued drilling to reach a final depth of 80 meters with a final static water level of 9 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 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.
Students and staff celebrated the presence of clean water on campus. The event was an excellent chance to acknowledge the school administration and students, and 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 have cement floors designed to be easy to use and clean. 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 also also 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, fill the stations with water, and ensure that there is always soap available.
School Education
We scheduled hygiene and sanitation training with the school’s staff. When the training day arrived, facilitators, Mary Afandi and Victor Musemi deployed to the site to lead the event. 20 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.
This training was a success! Participants gained new knowledge and built on knowledge they already had. A popular topic was soapmaking, a new topic that inspired hopes of generating income and improving hygiene in their homes. Teachers and students alike were engaged and eager! There was a good gender balance of students who attended, ensuring everyone had equal opportunity to contribute to a healthier school.
“The participants were very active and eager to gain more knowledge. They asked many questions during the training. These showed that they had an interest in the matters of health and sanitation,” shared field officer Victor Musemi.
42-year-old Helen Osano shared her takeaways from the training. “The training brought an understanding of the roles of each and every one of us in matters of hygiene and sanitation. I have started to take responsibility for my hygiene and that of people around me.”
