Our Kenya Project is complete
We started our third project with Just a Drop in 2011, with the aim to increase access to clean, safe water and improve the sanitation situation at two primary schools in the Ruiru district of Kenya, benefiting nearly 1,500 pupils and teachers. The Thome and Kibii primary schools, where many of the pupils have to walk up to eight kilometres daily to attend, were previously plagued with unreliable, and often unsafe, water supplies and toilet facilities. With large numbers of boys and girls sharing just a handful of latrines between them, and with clean water shortages occurring frequently, pupils were vulnerable to water and sanitation related illnesses.
This project has provided two rainwater harvesting systems producing clean drinking water, a block of eight latrines and two urinals for the boys and a block of eight latrines for the girls, all complete with hand washing facilities. The schools have also established WASH (Water and Sanitation Hygiene) clubs to educate pupils in the practice of safe water and sanitation. With children acting as the best motivators within the community and household, we hope they will spread the word and act as role models within the Ruiru district. This project has significantly improved the water and sanitation situation at these schools, reducing the cases of water related illnesses and even increasing the teachers' commitment towards the schools. We hope this project will change the lives of many residents of the Ruiru district and act as a stepping stone to improving the water and sanitation situation at many more schools in the area.
Colonel Mike Reynolds, Trustee for Just a Drop projects, has recently visited the Thome and Kibii primary schools. Here's what he has to say about the achievements and importance of this project: "The brand new water and sanitation facilities are a huge change from the scant facilities that existed before at these two primary schools. They will undoubtedly vastly improve the health of both the pupils and teachers, and inculcate into all those young minds what health and hygiene standards should be and how easily they can be achieved given the modest resources required. As these children mature and eventually make their own way in life they will understand the importance of hygiene and sanitation, and provide these standards for themselves and their families. What started as a single project will have an ever spreading impact for hopefully many years to come. Well done and thank you Hayes & Jarvis!"
