Mundi and Gatarawa Primary Schools Latrine Project – Kenya

Location
Mawingu Division, Olkalou District, Central Province, Kenya

Community Description
In 2007, the violent elections led to many homes being destroyed and a vast movement of people relocating to the Mawingu Division. Thousands of families are now living in tents on a few acres of land. Many of these tent homes do not have any access to toilets.

The large number of children in the area has placed a burden on the local schools. Mundi Primary School has 657 students (325 boys and 332 girls) and 6 teachers. There is one toilet, shared by boys and girls, that is made with rotten wooden planks and is caving in on both sides. It has no roof or door, and will not stay standing much longer. In addition, the pit is almost full.

Gatarawa Primary School is located about 10 kilometers from Mundi. It consists of 610 students (308 boys and 302 girls) and 5 teachers. The toilet situation there is equally dismal, with the additional problem that grass has been growing inside the toilet area, making it extremely unsanitary to use the bathroom.

Mawingu, Central Province, has a rainy season year-round. The continual rainfall causes the toilet pits to be filled with water. The excrement rises to the surface, and the dirty water washes throughout the school compound. Many children do not have shoes, thereby increasing the infection rate.

The extreme poverty of these communities prohibits them from purchasing tools and materials to alleviate the sanitary crisis.

Project Description
This project is to build a toilet for boys and a toilet for girls at each of two schools, the Mundi Primary School and the Gatarawa Primary School.

The pit for each toilet will be dug to a depth of 20 feet deep, and will be four feet on each side. Each latrine will have a molded concrete seat, and it will be ventilated using plastic tubing. It will also have three solid double-iron walls, a door with a lock, and a sturdy roof.

Water Charity funds will be used to purchase the materials and tools, including cement, wire mesh panels, gravel, sand, iron sheets, doors with locks, ventilated pipe, and shovels.

The owner of the supply store in the nearest town, Olkalou, will transport the materials via truck to both schools.

Under the direction of skilled craftsmen in the community, the parents of the children will provide the labor for digging the holes, mixing the concrete, making the slabs, constructing exteriors, attaching the doors, and installing the ventilation pipes.

Project Impact
1,267 people will benefit from this project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Shailah Bevan

Comments
This is a crucial infrastructure project for a community and schools without proper sanitation facilities.

Shailah previously completed the Karugutu 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.