New sanitation facilities for school in Kenya

205 pupils are currently learning at Ombugo Primary School in Nyanza Province in eastern Kenya. Until recently, the only latrines on the school grounds were in a dilapidated state so that most of the schoolchildren had to defecate in the open during breaks, in the immediate vicinity of the school, much to the chagrin of the local population. For the schoolgirls, in particular, this was a major problem because there were no toilets that could be locked properly, and hygiene conditions were inadequate.

This situation has now improved noticeably: since the end of October last year, Ombugo Primary School has had modern, hygienic sanitation facilities, thanks to the financial support of the Wilo-Foundation. For the pupils, the availability of the new 4-door toilet means they can attend school regularly and are better protected against disease.

For the Wilo-Foundation, this is already the second WASH project of this kind that has been completed in the Kenyan province of Nyanza, the project area of the Dortmund Aplerbeck One World Group. The latter has close ties with the Protestant parish of St George in Dortmund, coordinates the support and implements the projects on site with the help of the local Geno Community Development Initiative.

The Ombugo school was already equipped with a rainwater tank in 2018 and with a hand-washing station in 2020. In the beginning, it even received a visit from Dortmund's then mayor, Ullrich Sierau, who also supported the project.

With the completion of the toilet, the primary school now has a comprehensive hygiene concept, providing its pupils and teaching staff with an important basis for a functioning school.