Thousands of learners in Koibatek sub-county will now spend quality time in school after an NGO offered safe water solutions to 122 primary and secondary schools in the area.
Impact Water, an international Non-Governmental organisation working in Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda, has issued 435 100-litre water dispensers and aqua tabs for treating water to the schools.
Speaking to KNA yesterday during the distribution at the Ministry of Education offices in Koibatek, area head teachers thanked the organisation, saying the assistance will go a long way in ensuring learners enjoy safe drinking water in school.
“Our school depends on rainwater because we are located in a remote area with no reliable water sources. Many students have been missing school due to water-borne diseases like diarrhoea and typhoid. I believe that the aqua tabs and these water dispensers will help in solving these problems and ensure our learners spend more time in school,” said Mr. Solomon Biwott, the Principal of Mary Keitany Shoe4Africa Secondary School.
Joyce Kiprotich, Headmistress of Soibei Primary School in Torongo division lauded the move and called on other partners and the government to introduce such programmes as they go a long way in reducing absenteeism brought about by water-borne diseases.
“In our school, there is no tap water, so we mainly depend on river water, which is not safe for our students. We have been using Impact Water’s products for a period of around 5 years, and it has really helped us reduce school absenteeism because of access to safe drinking water. I want to encourage more sponsors and the government to help us by embracing such projects,” said Mrs. Kiprotich.
According to Doris Jerotich, the organisation’s field agent, the Aqua Tabs handed out are water purification tablets that kill microorganisms in water, reducing infections. which will in turn reduce the cost of medication, reduce school absenteeism, and improve living standards.
She added that the organisation’s goal is to ensure learners get the best in school by drinking safe water through such a simple, low-cost solution to clean water.
“One Aqua tablet should be used to treat 100 litres of water, and the procedure is simple: put a tab in a clean cup with some water and wait for it to dissolve, then add it to the 100-liter tank. The water should be disposed of after three days because the tab will not be efficient,” explained Jerotich.
She added that school visits will be conducted for follow-up to ensure the tanks are safe and the Aqua Tabs are still available.
With most schools in the region lacking access to clean drinking water, Impact Water’s Initiative is helping to bridge the gap and improve health and education in underserved communities.
Impact Water’s goal is to sustain safe drinking water systems in schools. There are over 40,000 students and 10,000 schools in 40 counties benefiting from this project.
Close partnerships with the Kenyan Government’s Ministry of Education and National School Associations have enabled the organisation to reach a wider scope.
By Christopher Kiprop
