This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Brittany Werkheiser.
To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE.
The project was to build a rainwater catchment system at the St. Thomas Primary School.
Brittany reports:
The project has been completed!
When we first met with the school and community, the headmaster, school committee, and parents committed to contributing for the cement foundation and rain gutter installation for the water tank. I have found that letting them know the size of tank they could possibly get, if only they contributed as a community, is very successful. So, we agreed on a 5,000 liter tank, to be purchased and transported with funds from Water Charity, with all the other necessary materials to be purchased and work to be done by the community.
Then the teachers in every government-run school went on strike. This was a big setback to our projects and the second time it has happened since we moved to Ol’Kalou, Kenya. This time, school was out of session 3 entire weeks, and has only just started back.
I visited the school again, and we worked out a work plan to finish the work. The community got together over the weekend and constructed the cement foundation for the 5,000 liter tank and installed the rain gutters.
We then delivered the tank and connected it by piping to the rain gutters. It was an easy completion to the project.
Even though it took some time to get back to work after the strike, the project was still very successful.
Within 2 weeks the tank should be full. It is the rainy season now, and with several hours of rain every day, I have no doubt the children will be drinking clean water even before that!
The head teacher and committee members were excited to relay the message that they feel they have been blessed and are so thankful that their children won’t have to carry in water from shallow stagnant ponds anymore.
Thank you!
We are grateful to Brittany for completing this project, her third in partnership with Water Charity.
