The goal of the community water- and school development project at Ng’ila is to contribute to long-term safe water accessibility and health improvements for the early childhood development school and the surrounding community. Ng’ila community has no specific center but is a long stretch of households over 8km consisting of 90 households which is the equivalent of approximately 650 people. The school consists of 86 pupils, 3 teachers and 2 non-teaching staff.
In 2023, a community rainwater harvesting system, a water kiosk and toilets were constructed at Ng’ila early childhood development school. The project was done in collaboration with our local implementing partner, The Maa Trust. And the construction was done by Afrika Water Bank. The rainwater harvesting system consists of a total roof surface area of 1400 m2 and a 400,000 Liter tank. Enough to provide the whole community within a 4km radius with safe drinking water for the entire year. The project is managed by a water committee and the community now buys the water at the fully automated water kiosk.The revenues go back into the community and provide means for maintenance and operation.
Before the project was launched in May 2023, the Ng’ila community collected water at a seasonal spring and river. Especially, during droughts, women needed to walk long distances into the conservancies to fetch water at the rivers and dams shared with livestock and wild animals. This water is contaminated with human, livestock, and wildlife waste causing diseases such as typhoid and amaebiosis. Human-wildlife conflicts especially occur when community members illegally enter the conservancy to collect water. Several women in Ng’ila have been attacked by buffalos and elephants.
