As we told you in February, the Matonyok Primary School, located near Narok Town, has 215 students nursery through Class 8 and 7 teachers. The school is struggling on many fronts, most notably with basic needs such as a lack of chairs, a water supply, and the absence of concrete floors, doors, and windows for their classrooms. The greatest need was the absence of a steady water source, which prevents students and teachers from washing their hands (basic sanitation), preparing food for noon meals (basic sustenance for young children), and lack of drinking water (a most necessary element).
Drum Roll Please!
We are excited to announce that the Matonyok School has a new 25,000 L water tank! This was a remarkable project — completed within 2 months of breaking ground and with a cost of only $4,000. The expediency of the project was due in large part to the enthusiasm and support of the community who worked with builders to ensure any challenges were simply and quickly resolved.
This water tank will provide many new advantages to improve the health and happiness of our students including:
- The ability to hold enough water to last two months, so our students won’t have to worry about collecting water everyday.
- The ability to provide school lunches and healthy snacks, which will reduce absenteeism, increase focus, and improve academic performance.
- Availability of storage tanks and hand wash taps with soap/ash; an important addition to ensure the students stay healthy so they can stay in school.
- Most importantly, the ability for students to take home water to their families at the end of the day, ensuring the happiness of our students even when they are not at school.
It is remarkable to see what collective support and energetic partners can do to improve the lives of these students. Matonyok can now be highlighted as a model school for our future projects.
