Volunteers help paint a classroom
Taps outside a classroom
A reliable water supply makes a big difference
to Kamaila school
The
Kamaila Middle Basic School is one mile from the village; it was established
in 1993. In 2004 it had seven hundred pupils aged 5 to 13 being taught
in three minimally furnished classrooms. There were only ten teachers
who taught classes of a hundred pupils at a time. Some of the children
walk many miles to school, leaving home as early as 4 a.m.
Until July 2005 water was provided from an old borehole with a hand pump,
which broke down with alarming regularity and had a low yield. The school
borehole serves more than one thousand people in the school and the surrounding
community, which includes housing for teachers and their families.
In 2003, when WfK trustees first visited the school, there were two latrines
for the pupils at the school, which were almost full. Their structure
was in such a dangerous condition that they were abandoned. The 700 pupils
had to use just two makeshift toilets, separated by insubstantial grass
fencing. There were no possibility of them washing their hands.
In July 2005 Water for Kids refurbished and relined the school borehole
and installed a new hand pump, restoring a reliable supply of clean water
for the first time in many years. Four new pit latrines were also built,
this was not adequate toilet provision, but a significant improvement
for the children.
In May 2006 Water for Kids trustees saw twelve further latrines being
built at the school, these were funded by the District Water, Sanitation,
Health and Education Committee. This is particularly important as three
new classrooms were under construction, which will allow the school role
to increase to 1,000.
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