A Water Kiosk At School
INTRODUCTION
In Kenya alone, only a third of the population has access to clean water. In some homes, children have to walk long distances to secure water. ITF piloted this project between 2014 and 2016 in communities with no tap water system and dubbed it ‘A Water Kiosk at School’. A Water Kiosk at School is a school-based and students-managed business selling clean tap water to community residents at an affordable price. It consists of financing a community school to set up onsite water kiosks with sustainable products for the students to transport tap water from school to their homes.
It is both an educational and profitable business, teaching the students business and entrepreneurial skills, while generating much-needed income for schools. It provides practical education bridging the gap between school and work while contributing to further development of the community.
A Water Kiosk at School is unique in its mission: to provide reliable access to clean water to schools and communities, instil valuable entrepreneurial skills in the youth and help local schools support themselves financially. Setup in a school within a community with no tap water system, it will be the main source of clean water for all households, and has the following overall benefits:
Financial: The money raised by the students is used for WASH activities in school.
Education and Capacity Development: The project increases attendance rate because the children do not need to absent themselves from school to secure water for their families. Through the running of the water kiosk, the learners gain key employment skills in running a business.
Sanitation and Health: With accessibility to clean water, sanitation facilities are improved.
Socioeconomic Opportunity: Children transport water to their own homes straight from school and this means increased safety from remote and likely dangerous places where they look for clean water.
In December 2017, ITF joined hands with the Rwanda government to replicate ‘A Water Kiosk at School’ in the country to help improve the learning outcome across primary and secondary education of children facing lack of access to clean water. Thus far, ITF has built 15 water kiosks in 15 communities both in Kenya and Rwanda and therefore ensuring that 8,401 school children no longer absent themselves from school to secure water for their families, 87,265 community residents have access to clean tap water within their communities and that 13,619 reusable water bottles have been distributed in Kenya and Rwanda.
