RC Gachie WASH Global Grant Uplifts Learning in Schools
By Rtn Juliet Wairimu
What do the counties of Kisii, Nyamira, Bomet and Kericho have in common? Tea growing in plantations and in small scale allotments, Coffee farms, horticulture, livestock farming and food production. These counties are also in some of the most beautiful countryside west of the Great Rift valley. They enjoy good rainfall so hunger has never been a problem here. Apart from bordering each other, they also have something else in common. Over 2,200 primary schools are in dire need of water and sanitation interventions. Almost all county schools have an average of 300 pupils and a pit latrine ratio of 1:70. Many do not have rain harvesting facilities, no clean drinking water or adequate hand-washing facilities
When Kenyans were visited by a guest called Covid 19 in March 2020, who knew that this guest would completely ignore the wishes of its host and continue to stay put? Shamelessly, during its self-imposed stay, it also decided to give birth to the Delta Strain! It seems Covid 19 is a fact of our lives now and in the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, some blessings have come with this pandemic. Washing of hands regularly with soap and wearing masks has had unintended benefits. Incidences of the common cold and flu have greatly reduced. As an effort to try and mitigate against infection, a nationwide campaign led by the Government of Kenya and other well-wishers including Rotary District 9212 was undertaken targeting town centers, schools and health care facilities. These measures, though laudable, are not enough to tackle the core causes of water and sanitation issues.
To say that WaSH underpins all the 7 areas of focus for Rotary is an understatement. Water-borne diseases undermine Health and Disease Prevention. Unsafe clean water affects Maternal and Child healthcare. Health and Disease prevention has an ally in Water and Sanitation. And as we commemorate Basic Education and Literacy month this September, we know how illness caused by unclean water affects the progressive learning of school-going children. Lack of water for food production and pastoral communities directly impacts economic and community development. Fighting over water rights has led to grave issues that require Peace and Conflict resolutions. Lastly, the health of our rivers and lakes is crucial for our environment.
Early in 2020, the 2-year-old Rotary Club of Gachie partnered with 22 Rotary Clubs in Washington State USA led by Rotary Club Lacey and 5 clubs in Europe to apply for a Wash Project grant in Kisii, Nyamira, Bomet and Kericho counties. The project targets 37 primary schools and 70 health care facilities. The grant application was approved in October 2020. The scope of the project is to install gutters and water tanks for rainwater harvesting, provide micro-filtered safe drinking water systems, hand washing facilities and improvement of school toilets. This is a 2- year project divided into three phases.
Work commenced in February with WaSH training for Head Teachers, members of school Boards, clinical officers and other critical staff. The training was held in Rigoma Chief’s camp which also houses the offices of Aqua Clara Kenya, our project implementers. Rotarians from RC Gachie attended the training and were present during the handover of micro-filtered safe water drinking systems and hand-washing stations to a few schools in Kisii and Nyamira counties.
On August 11th 2021, the team from RC Gachie, accompanied by a guest from RC Nairobi Thika Road travelled to Kisii to receive and handover to 4 schools and 2 health care facilities the refurbished toilets, guttering and rain-harvesting tanks, safe drinking water systems and hand-washing stations. Phase 1 of the project is officially over, with 10 schools and 20 health centres having benefited from the project. Before leaving the area, we visited two schools for a needs assessment and were as expected, shocked by the state of the pupils’ toilets. A further 20 schools and 20 medical facilities are targeted for Phase 2 of the project.
We hope that Rotary Club of Kisii Central and the upcoming Rotary Club of Kericho will plan to have similar projects in and around our current project areas.
