Back to School: Nasokol Girls School
September 4, 2013
The students of Nasokol School who used to suffer from illness caused by contaminated water.
When Water Missions International first learned of the struggles the students of Nasokol faced, the school’s principle described the difficult situation. “Our main problems in as far as water is concerned is lack of enough as well as safe water in the school,” Mrs. Jesca explained. “We cannot flush the toilets adequately and have to fetch water from the outside to pour into the toilets. Some of our students are from poor families and have never used toilets before. Lack of water for flushing makes it difficult for us to train them to practice it. A good number of them forget to go back and fetch water to pour into the toilets after using them. This is off course a health risk for them. If we had water readily available in the toilets it would be easier to train the students to simply flush the toilets after use.
“Hand washing is also an issue here,” she continued. “The little water we have is mainly used for drinking purposes. The drinking water is also not so safe since it is not treated. WMI’s intervention for our situation would help the girls improve on their hygiene as well as reduce the number of cases who miss class as a result of water-related diseases.”
Water Missions International partnered with the Church of the Good Samaritan to provide the girls of Nasokol with safe water. The church community held a Walk for Water to raise money for the project. Thanks to their success, a team from Water Missions International worked with the community to assess and install a safe water solution. The team also worked with the students, leading classes on proper sanitation and hygiene practices to help ensure that sickness caused by inadequate sanitation and contaminated water would become a thing of the past.
Water Missions International – Kenya staff installed the school’s new safe water solution.
This summer, the students of Nasokol drank their first glasses of safe water. Now Jesca sees a difference in the lives of her students. “Before the project kicked off, one would never miss to spot our girls at Kapenguria District Hospital. We were always in the hospital’s long queues and the diagnosis was always the same, typhoid, and malaria. However, since we started taking treated water, trips to the hospital have reduced significantly and we have learn[ed] that by taking safe water, one moves the hospital away from oneself. I am sure the girls’ performance is going to improve this term due to improved health and hygiene.”
Nasokol Girls School now enjoys access to safe drinking water just outside the classroom doors.
Students have also noticed the immediate impact safe water has brought to their lives. Sheelah Alice Oguda, a student at the school, cannot be more excited about the safe water solution. “I thank Water Missions International and The Church of the Good Samaritan from the bottom of my heart for introducing clean, safe water to our school, and the entire community,” she told Water Missions International – Kenya staff. “I also thank them for enabling us to reduce the number of trips to the hospital. Before, we were struggling with typhoid and cholera, and many students had to go to Kapenguria District Hospital, until we became a household name. Since we received safe water, the number of students going to the hospital has reduced significantly and we can now spend more time in studies and achieve our dreams.”
The girls of Nasokol celebrate life free of water related illness.
Our hope is to help other children like Sheelah spend less time in the hospital this school year and more time in the classroom where they can study and build the foundation for a brighter future. As you take your children to school this week, think about the millions of children around the world who don’t have the luxury of boarding a bus, but instead must walk miles to learn, and miles more to get a glass of water that might make them too sick to stay in class. You can help make the difference by supporting our efforts to decrease the millions of school days missed this year because of water-related illness by donating here to support our efforts, or by holding your own Walk for Water to raise funds for a project like the Nasokol Girls School.
The teachers and students of Nasokol rejoice at the gift of their new safe water solution.
Go here to watch the girls of Nasokol show their appreciation for their new safe water system.
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