Project
Luhokho Primary School W. Kenya
Luhokho Primary School began humbly with just 20 learners and two dedicated teachers who held classes inside a local church building. Over time, the school grew rapidly as more families enrolled their children, eager to avoid the long and difficult walks to distant primary schools. What started as a small community effort has become a beacon of hope for parents seeking quality education close to home.
Today, the school has four permanent classrooms serving the primary section, yet many pupils continue to learn under trees or in semi-permanent structures. Despite these challenges, Luhokho Primary School remains a symbol of resilience and determination within the community. The school now serves 305 students — 178 girls and 127 boys — whose dreams are shaped daily within these modest surroundings.
The students and staff of Luhokho Primary School face significant challenges accessing safe water. A partially protected spring nearby serves as one of their main sources, but the area around it is overgrown, soggy, and lacks proper drainage. This allows contaminants to flow freely into the collection area. Without fencing, the spring is also exposed to pollution from animals, human waste, and nearby farming activities. During the dry season, the spring often dries up completely, forcing the community to seek water from even more distant and unsafe sources.
Another water source used by the school is a nearby stream. However, it doubles as a watering point for domestic animals, and local residents often wash clothes directly in or beside it. This introduces detergents and dirt into the water, making it unsafe not only for drinking but also for school use. The rocky, uneven terrain surrounding the stream poses an additional danger—students risk slipping, falling, or even drowning, especially during periods of heavy rainfall.
The absence of a safe and reliable water source exposes both students and staff to serious health risks. Waterborne illnesses, such as typhoid and dysentery, are common, keeping children out of class and impacting their ability to learn. Frequent absenteeism due to illness and water-fetching duties undermines academic performance and limits the potential of bright, hardworking students who aspire to a better future.
Claudia is a bright 12-year-old girl at Luhokho Primary School. Every day, before and after class, she faces one of her hardest daily routines — fetching water for her family and school. “Fetching water is one of the hardest things I have to face every day,” Claudia said. “The spring and the stream where we collect water are far from school. It takes almost an hour to go and come back, and sometimes I have to wait in a long queue before I can fill my jerrycan. The path is rough and slippery, especially when it rains, and I have to be careful not to trip and fall. By the time I get back, I feel exhausted.” Despite these challenges, Claudia’s determination shines through. “I want to become a teacher one day because I love helping others learn,” she said proudly. “I want to make my family proud and support my younger siblings. But sometimes I worry that fetching water and missing classes will make it hard for me to achieve my dream.”
Steps Toward a Solution:
Our technical experts worked with the school to identify the most effective solution to their water crisis. They decided to drill a borehole well, construct a platform for the well, and attach a hand pump.
Abundant water often lies just beneath our feet. Aquifers—natural underground rivers—flow through layers of sediment and rock, offering a constant supply of safe water. A borehole well is drilled deep into the earth to access this naturally filtered and protected water. We penetrate meters, sometimes even hundreds of meters, of soil, silt, rock, and more to reach the water underground. Once found, we construct a platform for the well and attach a hand pump. The school gains a safe, enclosed water source capable of providing approximately five gallons of water per minute.
Training on Health, Hygiene & More
Training on Health, Hygiene & More
With the school's input, we've identified topics where training will increase positive health levels. We'll coordinate with them to find the best training date. Some examples of what we train on are:
- Improved hygiene, health, and sanitation habits
- Safe water handling, storage & treatment
- Disease prevention and proper handwashing
- Leadership, governance, & election of a water committee
- Operation and maintenance of the water point
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Safe water and improved hygiene habits foster a healthier future for the entire school.
0.368636 latitude, 34.830725 longitude
H2O for Life partners with experienced NGO organizations around the world that build and support clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education projects in schools. These NGO partners cover half the total cost of every project funded through H2O for Life.
When students raise money for a project, 90% of the funds go directly to the project, and 10% supports the work that makes the project possible. This includes choosing trusted partners, managing funds responsibly, checking on projects, and reporting back so students can see the impact of their work.
This helps ensure every project is done well, stays sustainable, and truly changes lives.
In rare situations, we reserve the right to reallocate funds to alternate project(s).
Questions? Ask us at 651-756-7577 or info@h2oforlifeschools.org.
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