Lukala Well Complete!

Your contribution has given access to clean water for the Lukala 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. 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!

"My learning will improve so much with this reliable water in that I'll never waste time in search of water. Instead this time will be used to study. Crowding and scrambling for water has come to an end, we have enough water in school now. Our meals will be ready and on time, and we will have enough water for drinking and even cleanliness. In short, everything will run smoothly, making my time in school very enjoyable. This can for sure result in good grades in my exams," shared 18-year-old student Fred.

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

"Students in this school will have peace of mind while in class knowing that there will be no fight awaiting at the borehole, especially during the dry season. With plenty [of] water in school, cleanliness will go a notch higher. Cleaning activities will be done in a short time, and this will enable the students to be in class at the right time, thus boosting their academic performance. The students will also be involved in activities like farming courtesy of the new water point. This will boggle their minds to think wide about taking a career in agriculture, which is the backbone of Kenya," shared teacher Jemimmah Nekesa.

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 4.8 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.

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 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 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.

VIP Latrines

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.

We scheduled hygiene and sanitation training with the school’s staff. When the training day arrived, facilitators Lillian and Purity deployed to the site to lead the event. 19 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 participants were eager to learn. The attentiveness exhibited was of a higher level. Their interaction and contribution during the training made the whole session fun and enjoyable. They didn't mind that it was lunchtime time, and yet the training was still on," shared facilitator Lillian Achieng'.

16-year-old Cynthia is passionate about creating a cleaner world around her. It only made sense for her to become the chairperson of their hygiene club.

"All the topics were interesting but environmental hygiene stood out for me. The topic emphasized on what I have always believed in: [a] clean environment, clean people, clean life. I love planting trees and seeing the environment green. I love every place I am in to be clean. Being the hygiene club chairperson, this training will make my work easier in terms of programing students on how to keep the whole school clean. They have gotten the message, and I believe they now strongly believe in what I believe in. My work as a leader has been made easier," Cynthia boldly shared.

Thank you to the following for making all of this possible!