Project Overview:

African Development Choices (ADC) has partnered with a school in Kenya to pilot our theory for effecting long term change. Meet the students of Nyansakia II Primary School, which serves 800 students (370 boys and 430 girls, aged 4-16), including 32 children with disabilities.

Every day, the schoolchildren have to use old, dilapidated and unsanitary pit latrines. The school has no access to clean water or adequate sanitation. These are circumstances no one should endure, let alone children. Watch their story.

Project Goals:

The pilot project aims to provide modern, safe, and eco-friendly WASH facilities for the school, incorporating systems that utilize renewable energy, conserve water, and reduce environmental impact.

Key infrastructure improvements include:

• New toilet blocks with low-flush cisterns to save water.

• A solar-powered borehole to ensure clean and reliable water access.

• A biodigester for sustainable waste management.

In addition to improving infrastructure, the project seeks to empower the community by:

• Educating residents about their civic rights and responsibilities.

• Supporting locals in engaging with authorities to advocate for better services.

• Encouraging active and informed participation in decision-making processes for better resource management and service delivery.

Below is the design of the new toilet blocks for the school.

Gender Equality

In alignment with the United Nations SDGs (Goal 5), promoting gender equality is central to ADC’s mission. Women and girls often face the greatest challenges due to inadequate WASH access, so the project places their needs at the forefront.

For example:

• ADC collaborated with the community to design more toilet cubicles for girls, addressing the higher number of female students at the school and their specific needs.

• Research highlights that women take longer to use toilets than men, making additional facilities essential to reduce longer toilet queues.

Project Management:

The project is managed by ADC in collaboration with a diverse group of partners, adopting a multi-stakeholder approach that fosters learning, capacity building, and innovation. Key partners include:

• The Kisii County Government

• The Centre for Enterprise Development and Innovation (CEDI)

• Aqua Clara Kenya

• Uraia Trust

• Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)

• Kisii University

• National Taxpayers Association (NTA)

• The Nyansakia II Primary School Board of Management