St. Thomas Primary School Rainwater Catchment Project – Kenya

Location
Mukindu Village, Ol’Kalou Constituency, Central Province, Kenya

Community Description
St. Thomas Primary school has 400 children but the surrounding population is close to 5,000 people. Located on the outskirts of Ol’Kalou town, the families generally are made up of subsistence farmers.

The majority of students are from the Kikuyu tribe and their parents make most of their income through cash crops. However, some families have business backgrounds and own small shops in the Ol’Kalou town center.

While the rainy season in Ol’Kalou is typically long and prosperous, the families have still not installed any rainwater catchment systems. Instead, they catch water from shallow wells that are not maintained by health standards, or they fetch water from stagnant ponds. The main health-related illness for children in the village is diarrhea.

Problem Addressed
The school lacks water to serve the needs of students and faculty.

Project Description
This project is to build a rainwater catchment system at the St. Thomas Primary School.

The community has already laid the cement foundation for the tank and installed rain gutters on the roof of the school in anticipation of assistance with the purchase of the tank.

A 5,000-liter tank will be purchased at the Rasta supermarket and transported to the school. Piping will then be installed from the gutters to the tank.

Water Charity funds will be used to purchase and transport the tank.

Project Impact
The project will benefit 400 primary school children, 10 teachers, and 1 headmaster.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Brittany Werkheiser

Comments
The system will provide safe water for the school during the entire year.

The project has an unprecedented amount of community support, with the cooperation of local businesses, as demonstrated by the initiative in implementing the project with their own resources. This has led to a substantial system, with a larger tank than would have been otherwise possible.

The local support ensures that the system will be maintained in the future.

Brittany previously completed the Kidumfa Primary School Rainwater Catchment Project – Kenya and the  Huhuini Primary School Rainwater Catchment Project – Kenya.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$0.00

ADOPT THIS PROJECT BY CONTRIBUTING THE DOLLAR AMOUNT NEEDED BELOW

Donations of any amount will be appreciated. The full amount will give you “naming rights”, if that is something you would like.

Any contributions in excess of the Dollar Amount of the Project will be allocated to other projects directed by this PCV and/or projects of other PCVs in this country.

Dollar Amount Needed
$555.00

This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.