Learners from Kishemolouk secondary and primary school in Narok West Sub County can breathe a sigh of relief after the government through the Central Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency (CRVWWDA) rehabilitated a Sh4 million water project in the area.
The organization’s Cooperate Services General Manager (GM) Douglas Mulei, said they installed the borehole after a request from the community members who said the school children were suffering because of lack of water.
“The board sat and decided to rehabilitate this borehole so as it can serve the residents who live in the wildlife dominated area. The children risked their lives as they walked far distances to look for the essential commodity,” he said.
The solar powered borehole, he said, has a capacity to produce 3 cubic meters of water per day, which he said is enough to serve the population of 800 pupils in the school. Also in the package was a 10, 000 liter water tank.
Lonah Nkuwah, a director at the CRVWWDA representing Narok County, said the water was a big relief to the wildlife dominated community.
She observed that the pupils walk long distances going to look for the essential commodity exposing them to a lot of danger.
The project will benefit the girl child, who suffered a great deal during the days she received her monthly period because there was no enough water for bathing and cleaning her clothes.
Kishemolouk Primary School head teacher Judy Karwarwa, said the water project was a game changer that will boost learning in the school.
She reviewed that due to water shortage, the learners went to fetch water from the river that is about two kilometers away, thrice per day hence wasting the classroom hours.
“The first round would be to fetch water for the general cleaning, the second round they would fetch water for their personal hygiene while the last lap they would fetch water for cooking,” she said.
The head teacher said the availability of water in the school will boost the school population and concentration in class and give an overall good performance.
“What a joy to have clean water in our school. It is a dream that has come true today. We are so happy and believe we will boost our school performance,” he said.
Ms Nayari Kotik, a parent in the school confessed that the water challenge was a big challenge in the school that made many pupils, especially the girls, skip school for many days.
“This is a big relief to our school. More children will prefer going to school because they will have enough clean water,” she said.
By Ann Salaton
