EDUCATION RESOURCES
Action for clean water
Case study
Sylester - Nagoroworu School
Going to school used to be a chore for Sylester Raoyain. The 14-year-old,
along with other pupils at Nagoroworu school, in Wamba, used to begin
every day with a three-kilometre walk.
Not a walk to school, but an arduous trek to the river to get water – dirty
water – for use at school. They would return to school tired and having
wasted valuable time that could have been spent studying. Some would
even skip school altogether.
But since the Kenyan Red Cross Society installed two water tanks that
harvest rain water at the school, life has improved immeasurably for the
pupils.
“The water tanks have changed our lives because we used to have water
problems before,” says Sylester. “We had to walk long distances to fetch
water. But now, with the tanks we have in school, we can store water when
it rains for future use.”
Sylester washes her hands.
This water is used for washing, drinking, cooking and cleaning. The clean
water also means children no longer miss lessons because of illness from
water-borne diseases.
Sylester, immaculately turned out in her blue and yellow uniform, is part of the school’s health club, an
initiative started by the Red Cross. With about 40 members, the club meets once a week to learn about
the importance of good hygiene and sanitation.
“As members of the health club we maintain cleanliness in our school, we also educate other students
on the importance of washing hands,” explains Sylester.
The water tanks are not the only things the Red Cross has built for the school, which has 400 pupils
aged between six and 15 years. They have also built ten new toilets.
Previously the school only had two toilets – one for girls, one
for boys. It meant that pupils had to queue for a long time to
use the toilet, or go defecate in the bush.
“During toilet breaks we had long queues of students and this
was time consuming,” says Sylester. “But now with the new
toilets, which can accommodate five girls and five boys at any
time, we save on time and this has improved our education.”
Outside both toilet blocks is a water container with soap. The
pupils are responsible for making sure there is always water in
the container for washing hands and, thanks to the health club,
they also understand the importance of washing their hands to
avoid the spread of diseases.
In all, the school, and consequently the children’s health and
education, has greatly benefited from the work by the Kenya
Red Cross.
“The pupils never liked school when they had to go get water,
they used to run away,” says Gerald Ondieki, a teacher at the
school. “Now they enjoy it. If you make their life comfortable
here, they will continue with their education.”
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From top: A newly installed water tank. The
young people sing songs in Samburu about
the importance of washing their hands.
© British Red Cross 2014. All images © British Red Cross 2014 unless otherwise stated.
This resource and other free educational materials are available at www.redcross.org.uk/education
The British Red Cross Society is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949) and Scotland (SCO37738).
EDUCATION RESOURCES
Action for clean water
Case study
Amos - Nagoroworu School
Standing tall and proud under the baking sun, Amos Letaapo shares his
ambitions for the future.
“When I finish school I want to be a doctor so that I can help my parents and
community by treating them and educating them on hygiene,” explains the
15-year-old. “Since my favourite subject is science, I get to learn more about
avoiding diseases and hygiene – that’s why I want to be a doctor.”
Amos, a pupil at Nagoroworu School, in Wamba, knows the importance of
education in achieving his aim.
And, thanks to help from the Kenyan Red Cross, his education has received
a boost. Two new water tanks, built by the Red Cross, harvest rain water at
his school.
It means pupils no longer have to undertake a tiring three-kilometre walk to a
nearby river to collect water – dirty water – twice a day.
Amos washes his hands.
“Before we were given the tanks we used to go very far to the river to fetch water so that we could use it
in school,” explains Amos. “But now we have water gutters on the roof. These are used to harvest rain
water which is stored in the tanks we have for future use.”
“Since we now have the water tanks in school we have extended our learning hours because we don’t
have to walk far to fetch water. Before we used to leave school at 3pm to go look for water but now we
usually extend our school hours until 5pm and this has improved our performance.”
Amos’ education and health have also been improved by two new toilet blocks built by the Red Cross.
Previously the school, which has 400 pupils, only had two toilets, which meant long queues, poor
sanitation and missed lessons.
“We keep our toilets clean so as to avoid diseases, we usually
clean them every day so that they do not have a bad smell,” he
explains.
The two toilet blocks, for boys and girls, each have water
containers outside. Through the work of the school’s health
club, an initiative started by the Red Cross, all pupils
understand the importance of washing their hands to reduce
diseases.
Pamela Martinella runs the health club and is full of praise for
the way the children have taken to it.
“We teach the children about how to make this school
compound clean and also that cleanliness should start with
them cleaning their own bodies,” she says.
“The children really enjoy coming to health club, because they
know we teach them life skills and how to clean themselves,
and they’re really proud,” she says. “You also find that when
children are back at their family homes, they really maintain that
cleanliness we have here in the school.”
From top: The new toilet blocks. Pupils
queue up to wash their hands.
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© British Red Cross 2014. All images © British Red Cross 2014 unless otherwise stated.
This resource and other free educational materials are available at www.redcross.org.uk/education
The British Red Cross Society is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949) and Scotland (SCO37738).