Action, Africa, Climate Change, Development, Education

The rural Kenyan school that collects water for the community

THE GUARDIAN

(Lucy Bullivant is the editor-in-chief of the webzine Urbanista.org.)

ab335fed-7d88-4300-9894-9b2d5885eea1-2060x1236A new school in Kenya’s central highlands harvests rain for pupils, teachers and their families, but can the project be repeated in other arid regions?

Abrupt flash floods for a few weeks, then months of drought. Repeat. Water problems suffered by people living in the semi-arid regions of Kenya adversely affect whole areas of their lives, causing ill health, conflict and food insecurity.

The Endana secondary school complex includes dormitories (such as the one above), and a sports stadium which can collect and store 1.5 million litres of water. Photograph: PITCH Africa
The Endana secondary school complex includes dormitories (such as the one above), and a sports stadium which can collect and store 1.5 million litres of water. Photograph: PITCH Africa

But the opening of a school in rural Laikipia in the central highlands will hopefully break that vicious cycle for 300 children, their teachers and the wider community. More than just a simple building, the Waterbank School is a living infrastructure that harvests rainwater – 360,000 litres over the course of two rainy seasons – as well as being an education centre.

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