Norma Davis and Jackie Scroggie Rotary Club of Toronto Eglinton | Rift Valley WASH in School Project {March 27th, 2014}
Since 2002, Rotarians from Canada have partnered with Rotarians in Nakuru to provide clean water and sanitation facilities to individual households in rural communities in Nakuru and Laikipia counties in Kenya. To date approximately 5000 household tanks have been built.
Recent visits to the communities [2013 to observe the impact of the rainwater harvesting tanks on family health and economic development, provided first hand evidence that our work is transforming the life and livelihood in these poverty stricken areas. While in Nakuru we visited several public schools in the area and noted the lack of clean water and sanitation facilities. We believe that establishing a WASH program in schools will reduce hygiene related diseases, increase student attendance and contribute to dignity, inclusion and equity. A WASH program will also reinforce the message in the community of the importance of hand washing and sanitation to prevent disease. Among all children under 14, more than 20% of deaths and years lived with illness are attributable to unsafe water, inadequate sanitation or insufficient hygiene
The Project includes:
- the construction of 30,000 litre cement rainwater harvesting tanks in 6 schools.
- The construction of separate latrines for boys and girls with doors, blinders and urinals.
- The purchase of hand washing stations in various locations in schools
- The establishment of Student Health Clubs in schools to raise awareness of the importance of health and sanitation routines and to maintain latrines
- Work with the school authority to provide ongoing health and sanitation training to teachers and students
- The planting of trees and possible creation of school garden to supplement the lunch program
- The parent community will contribute to the cost of construction of latrines in order to have ownership of the project and proper maintenance.
- To implement a Menstrual Hygiene Management in schoolsÂ
