Global Outreach School has two borehole wells to provide drinking water which is a huge step in having close access to a water source, but it is still allows contamination by pathogens through the groundwater. In addition, the children have poor hygiene and can contaminate their drinking water with residual stool on their hands when they handle the existing hand pump, or filling and carrying the buckets or jerrycans with water. Sadly, since the school's founding in 2004, the children continue to suffer from diarrhea and related diseases.

 

Access to clean drinking water has a direct effect on the children's education.  Children miss class because of sickness related to water related diseases. Dehydrated children are not able to concentrate on their lessons.  In the world, every two minutes a child dies due to water related diseases, which are mostly preventable. Arthur Vincent, headmaster at the school, says that about half of the school's pupils are affected by diarrhoea during the school year and each year, he has had to send some children to the hospital for treatment!

Diarrhea is especially prevalent he says during the dry season and at the beginning of the rainy season when pollutants are washed into the water supply.  

 

We have developed a tailored solution for the school with the help of water experts which involves:
a new solar pump to draw water up from the existing borehole to feed into a 5,000 Litre holding tank. From here, will be two drinking water taps with an in-pipe Uzima water filter which can remove 99.9% of pathogens in the water.  A 6 tap hand-wash station on a permanent concrete base will also be served by the water from the well through a separate pipe coming from the holding tank.  

 

We are involving the children in some aspects of the planning and give them certain decisions to make. We will also help them to start a WASH club so that certain children can become 'experts' and pass on their knowledge to others.  Being engaged gives them a sense of ownership in the project and they will be more likely to use the water plan correctly and to help maintain the installations for the long term.  

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On the computers we provided for their new computer lab, we have installed Water Well, the app we developed for learning about clean drinking water for kids. Also we have installed Droople, a smart monitoring system for the kids to see on their computers how much the water the filters have treated, when they need cleaning or maintenance. 

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We think that school children can improve their water situations significantly themselves just through education and develop confidence, knowledge and self-agency. Educating and engaging the next generation is critical to helping the water crisis. 

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