Why Are Our Clean Water Projects on School Grounds?

At Well Aware, we believe that access to clean water is a basic human right. Our mission is to provide sustainable access to clean water and safe sanitation systems to anchor long-term development, and you may have noticed that most of our clean water projects are on school grounds. This is intentional and rooted in a vision to maximize the impact of clean water access in our partner communities. Here’s why schools are at the heart of our clean water work.

Schools Are Community Hubs

In many Kenyan communities, schools are not just educational facilities; they are central meeting points and vital community resources. By placing clean water projects on school grounds, we ensure that the entire community—students, teachers, parents, and local residents—can benefit from this resource. It’s a strategic way to extend the reach of clean water beyond the school and make a tangible difference in people’s daily lives.

Supporting Women and Girls

The responsibility of fetching water falls on women and girls in most, if not all, of our partner communities. When clean water is available at school, young girls have more time to focus on their studies rather than spending hours traveling to dangerous, distant water sources. Additionally, access to clean water and sanitation facilities at school helps girls manage their hygiene needs comfortably, reducing absenteeism and dropout rates, especially during menstruation. In our partner communities, education rates have increased by 58% for girls, specifically. Clean water really does make a difference for gender equality.

Improving Educational Outcomes

As previously stated, education and health go hand in hand. For students to thrive, they need access to basic necessities, including clean drinking water. When children don’t have to travel long distances to fetch water or worry about illnesses from contaminated sources, they can attend school consistently, focus better, and participate actively. Studies show that attendance rates and academic performance improve when students have access to clean water on campus. In our partner communities, education rates have increased, on average, by 34% with access to clean water.

Enhancing Health and Hygiene Practices

Schools are an ideal place to foster healthy habits in young people. By providing clean water and pairing these projects with sanitation facilities, we can create a space where students learn essential hygiene practices. Washing hands, drinking safe water, and proper sanitation become daily routines, and children bring these practices home, spreading positive change within their families. Our Community Team even leads water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) trainings for the students and surrounding community. We know that healthy children are more likely to grow into productive adults, leading to our next reason as to why most of our water projects are on school grounds.

A Long-Term Investment in the Community

When a school has clean water, the benefits ripple outwards. Healthier, more educated children grow into adults who are empowered to contribute positively to their communities. They’re more likely to be advocates for clean water and public health, making schools a strategic focal point for long-term change. An educated and healthy workforce also contributes to the overall economic development of the community, which we have witnessed drastically improve with access to clean water. And for adults gaining access to clean water for the first time, less time is spent worrying about water, resulting in more time being spent on economic activity. As incomes diversify and jobs grow, more money is circulated within the economy.

An Environment for Lasting Partnerships

The last, but undoubtedly most important reason for this strategic focus: Schools provide a reliable foundation for our projects. They’re stable, permanent locations supported by community investments and our team, meaning that the infrastructure we build has a long-term home. Our Well Beyond App ensures that our partner communities are empowered to run and maintain their systems on their own, and because school grounds are public land, no one can take that away from them. This stability also enables us to partner with local organizations, health officials, and educational leaders to maintain and expand our initiatives. Investing in schools ensures that the benefits of clean water access are sustained through future generations of students, not to be taken by one individual.

Our mission goes beyond drilling water wells.

This strategic focus is not arbitrary; it is a deliberate choice grounded in the profound impact that clean water access has on education, health, and community development. Our mission goes beyond drilling water wells—it’s about building a future where every child has the chance to grow up healthy, educated, and empowered.

Thank you for supporting Well Aware in this mission to make clean water accessible where it matters most. By placing our projects on school grounds, we are investing in the leaders of tomorrow.