Stinking it up for Mirera Primary School

The 2019 Shower Shrike is just wrapping up. Every April, through just one powerful fundraising week, we are able to empower many more lives and make a great change in the world.

This year, we are transforming thousands of lives by implementing a life-saving water system for the Mirera Primary School, one of the most populous schools in Kenya. Mirera is one of the communities featured in this year’s Shower Shrike. This means that funds raised will go towards providing clean water to the students at the school.

Currently, all 3,000 students and 65 staff members depend on one dysfunctional borehole that was drilled in 2007. Water is pumped once a day to three tanks that hold water for daily use, but there are only two water outlets for the entire population of the school.

This results in a long line of students waiting to collect water in between classes. Students struggle, push and shove to fetch water before the class break is over. Little kids are often seen waiting from afar for their turn because they cannot compete with the bigger kids.

Problems are similar for sanitary issues. Toilets and hand washing stations are not sufficient enough to support the school’s huge population, so the students always have to wait in queue for their turn just to wash their hands. In return, numerous students go back to class without washing their hands after using the toilet. The situation is worse for young girls who are supplied with sanitary towels by the government, but not on a regular basis. This makes it difficult for the girls to go to school for one week out of each month. Without proper sanitation and water at the school, many end up having to stay at home.

In addition, a dangerously high level of fluoride is contained in the groundwater in the community. Many kids are affected by the fluoride’s effects including weak bones and teeth discoloration. The school was once provided with a de-fluoridation filtration system but it has broken down since.

Meet Sharon. She is a 13-year-old student at Mirera Primary School.

Sharon told us that there are many things she likes about her community- people there are caring, supportive and loving. She just hopes that one day they will be able to get rid of the dangerous fluoride water they must drink. In March 2019, she told us:

“We often get sick and have toothaches from the [high] fluoride levels in the water, so I’m very happy and excited for a new well. We will finally have non-fluoride water.”

Another student named Sharon (11 years old) told us:

Because of the fluoride contamination in water, Sharon’s sister has been sick multiple times. But, knowing about Well Aware’s future water project in Mirera and that her community is featured in this year’s Shower Shrike, Sharon told us:

“I feel good! Because I can drink clean water and don’t have to worry about getting sick or getting diseases like typhoid and cholera.”

With your support, we will transform these students’ lives. We are excited to see Mirera flourish and develop into a thriving, healthy population.

Together, we are making a big impact in a short time. Help us provide clean water to Mirera Primary School by donating to Shower Strike today.