Improve the health and well-being of schools and communities in the drought-prone ASAL Eastern and Northeastern provinces of Kenya and in Nyanza Province through Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM).
Narrative
Through IWRM, poor communities will reduce vulnerability to water-related shocks and improve the quality of life. The program goals and objectives of the current project are as follows:
1. Increasing the level of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities
2. Hygiene behavioral change targeting school/pupils and teachers
3. Decreasing the prevalence of water-borne and sanitation-related diseases
4. Promotion of student/pupil involvement in WASH activities through formation and support of school health clubs. The school community, as a major stakeholder and partner participated fully in all the stages of project design and implementation. Lifewater in collaboration with WV-Kenya developed interactive training materials for use with school committees, community volunteers, teachers and students. School health club coordinators were trained and equipped with lesson plans that engage students in proper use of water and sanitation facilities, and encourage behavioral change through hygiene education and promotion. The school management committees, community volunteers, teachers and pupils/students have also been trained to manage and ensure that the interventions result in sustainable impacts. With availability of water in the schools, they have adopted the integrated water resource management initiative, which promotes multiple uses of water to include kitchen gardening and environmental conservation through establishment of tree nurseries and tree planting at schools.
Generally, this WASH project has significantly impacted on the lives of school children and extended to the communities surrounding the schools at large. Adults who participated in the training-of-trainers hygiene program have become teachers, sharing WASH knowledge and empowering the children. Likewise teaching skills acquired during the training have impacted the students and community members during meetings to raise awareness resulting in diffusion of WASH knowledge across a wide spectrum of stakeholders. The project provided safe water and high-quality sanitation facilities at ten (10) schools, making it possible for students to practice improved hygiene behaviors, such as hand washing, which ultimately contributes to improved health among the beneficiaries.
Availability of safe drinking at schools has caused great excitement and students and teachers are genuinely appreciative. On-site monitoring visits to the schools’ sanitation facilities and water tanks have revealed effective operation and maintenance by the school management communities. Learning initiatives supported by the schools resulted in poster and mural development containing hygiene messages around the school compounds, indicating a desire to transfer WASH knowledge to families and community members. The schools have embraced environmental resource conservation as a vital intervention. They have made progress in maintaining tree nurseries, and planting seedlings and protecting existing trees at all schools. A significant amount of contribution from the community and the parents’ participation in WASH activities resulted in a real sense of ownership and belief in their abilities to drive development in their schools, homes and communities.
The project evaluation was conducted using the MEL framework tools and focused on pupil interviews and school monitoring. Results showed students had gained significant WASH knowledge and information, and that they have shared their knowledge with their siblings and parents at home. Other findings indicated the full and willing participation in WASH activities by adults engaged in the school management committees (SMC). Their participation has created awareness in the need for an ongoing school budget to continue WASH programs and activities. From MEL results, approximately 80% of students reported the availability of soap for effective hand washing at school. During monitoring visits one of the health club members suggested that each child comes with a piece of soap or contribute some money to purchase soap as this will enable consistent supply of soap in school for hand washing. This idea was shared in a reflective meeting and many schools chose to embark on that option. Child participation is acknowledged as important to improve on sustainability of WASH interventions in schools. The latrines were also found clean and utilized. All the pupils that were interviewed liked the new latrines as compared to the existing ones. The MEL evaluation indicated that water treatment at point-of-use was not yet consistent in all schools. Being made aware of this issue, the SMCs agreed to put measures in place to make sure water treatment happens on routine basis.
There has been tremendous improvement in academic performance of pupils since the WASH program started in the schools. Six out of the ten schools recorded high mean scores compared to their previous scores. The schools and the communities believe that the success is attributed to WASH interventions in the school. Absenteeism has been reduced and enrollment has increased to a considerable extent as evident in the schools attendance records. The proposed interventions were jointly undertaken in a partnership between Lifewater International and World Vision Kenya, focused on ten project area schools and surrounding school catchment areas.
- Impact Assessment (M&E) Phase Project completed on 31 May, 2012 Implementation Phase
- Implementation Phase Project started on 15 Mar, 2010 Preparation Phase
Improve the health and well-being of schools and communities in the drought-prone ASAL Eastern and Northeastern provinces of Kenya and in Nyanza Province through Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM).
Narrative
Through IWRM, poor communities will reduce vulnerability to water-related shocks and improve the quality of life. The program goals and objectives of the current project are as follows:
1. Increasing the level of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities
2. Hygiene behavioral change targeting school/pupils and teachers
3. Decreasing the prevalence of water-borne and sanitation-related diseases
4. Promotion of student/pupil involvement in WASH activities through formation and support of school health clubs. The school community, as a major stakeholder and partner participated fully in all the stages of project design and implementation. Lifewater in collaboration with WV-Kenya developed interactive training materials for use with school committees, community volunteers, teachers and students. School health club coordinators were trained and equipped with lesson plans that engage students in proper use of water and sanitation facilities, and encourage behavioral change through hygiene education and promotion. The school management committees, community volunteers, teachers and pupils/students have also been trained to manage and ensure that the interventions result in sustainable impacts. With availability of water in the schools, they have adopted the integrated water resource management initiative, which promotes multiple uses of water to include kitchen gardening and environmental conservation through establishment of tree nurseries and tree planting at schools.
Generally, this WASH project has significantly impacted on the lives of school children and extended to the communities surrounding the schools at large. Adults who participated in the training-of-trainers hygiene program have become teachers, sharing WASH knowledge and empowering the children. Likewise teaching skills acquired during the training have impacted the students and community members during meetings to raise awareness resulting in diffusion of WASH knowledge across a wide spectrum of stakeholders. The project provided safe water and high-quality sanitation facilities at ten (10) schools, making it possible for students to practice improved hygiene behaviors, such as hand washing, which ultimately contributes to improved health among the beneficiaries.
Availability of safe drinking at schools has caused great excitement and students and teachers are genuinely appreciative. On-site monitoring visits to the schools’ sanitation facilities and water tanks have revealed effective operation and maintenance by the school management communities. Learning initiatives supported by the schools resulted in poster and mural development containing hygiene messages around the school compounds, indicating a desire to transfer WASH knowledge to families and community members. The schools have embraced environmental resource conservation as a vital intervention. They have made progress in maintaining tree nurseries, and planting seedlings and protecting existing trees at all schools. A significant amount of contribution from the community and the parents’ participation in WASH activities resulted in a real sense of ownership and belief in their abilities to drive development in their schools, homes and communities.
The project evaluation was conducted using the MEL framework tools and focused on pupil interviews and school monitoring. Results showed students had gained significant WASH knowledge and information, and that they have shared their knowledge with their siblings and parents at home. Other findings indicated the full and willing participation in WASH activities by adults engaged in the school management committees (SMC). Their participation has created awareness in the need for an ongoing school budget to continue WASH programs and activities. From MEL results, approximately 80% of students reported the availability of soap for effective hand washing at school. During monitoring visits one of the health club members suggested that each child comes with a piece of soap or contribute some money to purchase soap as this will enable consistent supply of soap in school for hand washing. This idea was shared in a reflective meeting and many schools chose to embark on that option. Child participation is acknowledged as important to improve on sustainability of WASH interventions in schools. The latrines were also found clean and utilized. All the pupils that were interviewed liked the new latrines as compared to the existing ones. The MEL evaluation indicated that water treatment at point-of-use was not yet consistent in all schools. Being made aware of this issue, the SMCs agreed to put measures in place to make sure water treatment happens on routine basis.
There has been tremendous improvement in academic performance of pupils since the WASH program started in the schools. Six out of the ten schools recorded high mean scores compared to their previous scores. The schools and the communities believe that the success is attributed to WASH interventions in the school. Absenteeism has been reduced and enrollment has increased to a considerable extent as evident in the schools attendance records. The proposed interventions were jointly undertaken in a partnership between Lifewater International and World Vision Kenya, focused on ten project area schools and surrounding school catchment areas.
Sustainability
Creating and measuring long-term impact
School Management Committees will provide oversight and management of the school water source, while trained teachers will oversee the sustainability of the school health club
Learnings
Knowledge of project and process for sharing
• Effective WASH training approach helped community members, teachers and students embrace hygiene and sanitation education which led to subsequent behavior change. Primary results include the installation of tippy taps for hand washing at households, using ash and soap to wash hands, construction of and cleaning latrines regularly, and safe storage of water at home.
Impact
People Impacted: 20000
School Children Getting Water: 4366
primary school students gained access to safe water at school
People Getting Other Benefits: 20000
School teachers and strudents from 10 primary schools participated in a WASH promotion campaign called 10 Building Blocks for Better Health using a primary school curriculum developed by Lifewater International. Through school-health clubs, students learned the importance of drinking safe water, washing hands with soap, caring for sick pepople, latrine use and maintenance, how germs are transmitted, ways to block disease and more. The program encourages students to create thier own songs, poems, skits and dramas to share the WASH message to bring about improved health. Students who were empowered in the school WASH program taught thier parents, siblings, neighbors, and even promoted WASH slogans within thier communities. Home made hand washing devices called tippy-taps were found in every home, at schools, and in hotels and restauants in town. Through the program, children gained self-esteem, improved English speaking skills, reduced stomach problems, absence of ringworms, and respect from thier elders and famalies. The program shows that children can be powerful Change Makers who can impact thier families and communities when given an opportunity to make a difference.
Implementer: World Vision Kenya
World Vision has been operating in Mtito Andei for the past five years and implemented Phase II of the Millenium Water Project (MWP project which ended in 2008. During the needs assessment period, WV and the community identified the major problem was inadequate access to a safe and reliable supply of drinking water; thus the need was prioritized. It was also established that the lack of safe water was an impediment to future community development. The majority of community members walk between five to eight kilometers each way to collect water from unprotected and untreated sources. The other major finding from preliminary assessments identified a number of existing high-yielding boreholes, previously used for a major highway construction project, which could be recommissioned to serve communities through installing pumps, generators, laying pipes, constructing water kiosks and storage tanks and invigorating water management committees. Using participatory methods, the MWP partners ensured the community they are major stakeholders and partners in development. The community participated fully in all the stages of project implementation including the provision of unskilled labor, locally available materials and involvement in the O&M of the water and sanitation facilities.
Funding
- funded:
- $451,803
- Final Cost:
- $451,803