Kenya's Dr. Agnes Abuom testifies to members of the U.S. Congressional Human Rights Caucus during the Interfaith Summit on Africa. Photo: Rick Reinhard Photography

Water and sanitation vital to Africa's schools

August 24, 2006

Beginning this year, 10 Kenyan partners have joined the CWS Water for Life -- Water for All Program. Over the next four years the program will link national, faith-based and church related organizations serving 180 water-stressed rural communities in Kenya, Malawi, Niger and Burkina Faso in collaboration with their governments.

Access to drinking water and adequate sanitation is a key component of the CWS Africa Initiative’s School Safe Zones (SSZ) program. Beginning in ten pilot sites, the program is modeling what all schools in Africa might one day become.

Dr Agnes Abuom chairs the School Safe Zones National Task Force. In one of her many roles, she is a consultant for the All Africa Conference of Churches which co-sponsored the July 18-21, 2006 Interfaith Summit on Africa with Church World Service. Dr Abuom was among faith leaders from 23 African countries at the summit.

According to Dr Aboum, water has become the first social justice issue to capture the attention of all of Africa’s churches. As a result, churches there are examining the connections between climate change, drought and famine. She credited the new interest to the role CWS played as a founding member of the Ecumenical Water Network in last December’s World Council of Churches Assembly. The Assembly called on churches to work together to guarantee the implementation of the right to water as a fundamental human right at the local, national, regional, and international levels. Also crucial, she said, is CWS advocacy on water at the United Nations Commission for Social Development.

CWS: What progress has been made in building toilets, water tanks and roof catchments for rainwater in the 10 pilot schools?

Agnes Abuom: School Management Committees (SMCs) have embraced the School Safe Zones program and mobilized parents and other stakeholders in upgrading sanitation facilities. For example Mjini, Moipei, KMQ, Kawangware and Mutuini schools have been able to construct or upgrade toilet facilities in their schools, although the number still falls below the ratio recommended by the Ministry of Education. In spite of limited resources, SMCs of Kiangage and Wangu schools have demonstrated the capacity to do repairs. Parents have each committed 50 Kenyan shillings towards construction of a toilet and temporary kitchen. Wangu school in Nairobi remains SSZ's greatest challenge. Flush toilets there get blocked due to debris from the City dumping site next door. The school hopes to construct two blocks of pit latrines once it gets permission from city authorities.

The six schools in Nairobi have piped water, although the supply is irregular. The other four are in dire need of clean water. Under the SSZ initiative the AIC Kajiado and Gikandu schools and Mjini school in Murang’a installed water tanks and roof catchment facilities. However these are too small, considering the number of children. The 10 schools still require a total of about USD 42,000 for adequate sanitation and water.

CWS: How are children in the pilot schools affected by these changes?

Abuom: Additional toilets, especially in separate blocks for boys and girls, have increased confidence among students and in school retention rates. Teachers in AIC Kajiado say their students are eager to keep the latrines clean. During breaks, students don’t have to wait in long lines at the latrines and can get back to class without delay. Students with access to water report better health. Common illnesses among children such as diarrhea and cough due to dusty surrounding have been prevented. Communities are motivated to do a lot more now that they realize it can be done.

CWS: How does water and sanitation tie into the Kenyan government's commitment to free primary education?

Abuom: Although it’s doing all it can, the government’s annual allocation falls far below the needs prioritized by individual schools. The management of the schools has devolved to communities and there is a lot of good will from the government towards development partners. But free primary education in Kenya has led to classroom overcrowding and generally overstretched school facilities. If water and sanitation facilities are not provided as a matter of priority this could lead to the outbreak of disease. Through the World Food Program, the government provides lunch for schools in slum and semi-arid areas. This would require that the schools have adequate water to drink and wash hands regularly. Inadequate sanitation and drinking water will deny children the opportunity to practice what they learn.

CWS: Are there other effects of inadequate sanitation and drinking water on schoolchildren?

Abuom: Because of inadequate toilets, girls choose to remain at home each time they have their periods and this affects their academic performance as well as their self esteem. The scramble for the few available toilets during break frustrates the younger children, causing them to dislike school. The few, improperly constructed, pit latrines fill up too quickly, considering the huge numbers of students.

CWS: One goal of SSZ is to achieve sanitation and water objectives for all schools in Kenya by 2015. Is this goal on track?

Abuom: We are on track as this objective is in line with the government of Kenya’s development goals. SSZ is lobbying the Ministry of Education for a Safety Standard Manualwhich will be used as an indicator for assessing levels of safety in primary schools. The manual will be available to all schools and will provide specifications and standards for school infrastructure.

CWS: You were at the World Council of Churches Assembly at Porto Alegre, Brazil, which adopted the “Water for Life” statement. How does the statement relate to the SSZ water and sanitation goals?

Abuom: The statement on water is important to SSZ because churches are now going to focus on water resource management. The All-Africa Conference of Churches is picking water management and climate change as a focus for the World Social Forum. By focusing on water we believe that more resources could be availed to schools and communities for water.