Request for Remittance of Remaining Funds

With the year coming to a close and elections coming up in the new year, Aqua Clara Kenya is striving to accomplish as much of the Schools for Water program prior to the end of 2012. Currently Aqua Clara has completed 3/4 of the project by training 16 new CDE's and 11 CHP's. New H&H programs have been started in the 16 additional schools and the 16 new businesses have already been launched. Surveys for the RWH systems on all of the schools has been completed. All that is remaining to complete the grant is to install the Rain Water Harvesting systems in the 16 new schools.

Aqua Clara would like to request that the remaining funds ($44,000+) be remitted immediately in order to purchase all of the supplies needed prior to the end of the year. The systems will then be installed and fittings put in place.

Aqua Clara holds 2nd Annual Field Day

The 2nd annual Field Day was held on 12th September 2012 at the ACI training and demonstration center in Rigoma. The initial Filed Day in 2011 had proved very successful and ACI considered doing a similar event in 2012. The CDEs from the new partner school together with the CHPs and school reps participated in training the attendants on various WASH aspects including water treatment, safe water storage and hand-washing.

Aims of the Field Day

 Showcasing all ACI products and services to the community
 Marketing and sales of Biosand filters, hand-washing containers, safe water storage containers etc.
 To provide a platform for local entrepreneurs (companies, NGOs, CBOs, etc.) to market themselves and their products
 To increase ACI’s visibility in the region
 To exhibit new products and services

Achievements of Field Day

 0ver 1,000 recorded attendants (it’s always difficult to register even half of total attendants)
 Total of 28 exhibitors from big companies like Equity Bank and Syngenta to Ministries e.g Min of Agric and KMFRI
 80 BSF orders, 38 SWS orders, and 18 HWC orders
 Extensive Media coverage from local media e.g. Citizen’s Egesa FM, The Star and The People Newspapers

School Representatives' Seminar

ACI held the first training and planning seminar for representatives for the new schools on August 28, 2012. One of the requirements for partnership with the new schools had been that the school selects one person from amongst its staff who would act the primary contact person and person responsible for the successful implementation of the programme in the school. The school representative position is a voluntary position and ACI does not effect any payment for this role. School reps do however receive tokens of appreciation such as hand-washing containers and safe water storage containers for their work.

The school reps’ seminar was meant to train on:
• the ACI programme: how ACI works, what ACI does, the role of the CDE and CHP etc.
• how the Biosand filter works, how it should be used and the responsibility of the school in taking care of all BSF in the school
• the Water and Hygiene Clubs: the goals of the Water and Hygiene Club, how to form a W&H club, the responsibility of the school rep in running a W&H club with the CHP etc.
• Community Demonstration and Social Marketing: The seminar also sensitized the school reps about their role in ensuring that the surrounding community is aware of the ACI products at the school and how they can work with the CDE to ensure that people are installing BSF and hand-washing facilities in their homes.

The school reps were excited about the opportunity to help their schools get safe water and promised to liase with ACI to ensure successful implementation of the programme. One school rep from Masisi Primary Kefa Obonyo remarked after the seminar
“We have had a very good session and are clearer now about our role in making this programme successful. When we go back we are going to sensitize our fellow teachers and the parents to work with us to ensure every one is drinking safe water.”

LAUNCH OF WATER AND HYGIENE CLUBS

After the School launches, the Community Health Promoters launched the Water and Hygiene Clubs at the school. The CHPs had been trained on how to start and run these clubs and with the help of the school administration 30 students from each partner school were recruited to join this club.

At the Water and Hygiene Clubs students receive training on:
- Different water treatment options
- Hand-Washing and Hygiene
- Disease transmission
- Safe Water Storage
-Sanitation
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LAUNCH OF ACI PROGRAMME IN SCHOOLS

In May, ACI launched our programme in the 16 selected schools. During the Launch Day, the school invites members of the community ranging from the local leaders, school parents and students to witness the official opening of the programme at the school. The ACI programme is explained to the community, the CHP and CDE are introduced and the initial Biosand filter, safe water storage and hand washing facilities are put at the school.

The launches in May went really well with very many community members attending and making orders for Biosand filters and other products. For instance a very high turn out was recorded in Chebongi where over 200 people attended. In Chebongi, community members were very excited about what the programme was going to offer. Philip Lang’at- the CDE selected for this school was able to get 20 orders for Biosand Filters.

“ The launch will help popularize the ACI programme in this area” he said “it will also make it easier for me to do my social marketing because people are now aware that I work for ACI”

During the launch, ACI staff members together with the local CDE installed the first Biosand filter at the school in the presence of all the community members who had attended the launch. The CDE was to follow this up with construction of two more filters after the launch.

Activities done during the launch:
➢ Community sensitization on the need for water treatment and the advantages of Biosand filtration
➢ Training on how the Biosand Filter works, how ACI works and the role of the CDE and CHP
➢ Construction of Biosand filter for the school in the presence of the community while carrying out training
➢ Supplying of the tools, materials for use by the CDE
➢ Carrying out marketing for ACI products and taking the first orders from the community

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CDE AND CHP SELECTION AND TRAINING

After the 16 schools had been selected for partnership, ACI provided them with the criteria for selecting candidates for the Community Development Entrepreneurs (CDE) and Community Health Promoter (CHP) positions. While both are based at the school, the CDE is tasked with carrying out social marketing and making a profit from selling Biosand filters, hand-washing containers and rain tanks in the community while the CHP carries out monitoring of all filters constructed by the CDE as well as training the students in the Water and Hygiene Clubs.

Once the schools had shortlisted 3 candidates for each position, ACI conducted interviews and one suitable candidate was found for each position. The candidates selected for training from each school were:
tal, 16 CDEs and 9 CHPs were selected for training. Some CHPs were put to oversee 2 or 3 schools that were in close proximity.

After the selection was complete, a 5 day residential training was carried out at the Aqua Clara Training Centre in Rigoma, Kisii by ACI staff.

The 5 day training covered such topics as:
➢ Local water and sanitation issues
➢ Multi barrier approach to water treatment
➢ Different household water treatment options
➢ Biosand water filter
➢ Safe water storage
➢ Hand-washing etc.

After training, the CDEs and CHPs were given certificates and sent back to their various communities to await for the programme launch before commencing their work.

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