As schools across Kenya prepare to close for the second-term holidays, one school in Kitengela is preparing for something more transformative. GK Prison Comprehensive School in Kitengela is welcoming a timely intervention one that is set to change their dilapidated pit latrines.
Known for its charity work, the Rotary Club of Kitengela has come in handy to end the long-standing sanitation and water crisis that has been silently overwhelming the institution.
For years, over 2,000 students at this public school have been forced to share dilapidated pit latrines, many without doors and most in unhygienic conditions. But now, through the initiative dubbed ‘Safi Kitengela WASH in Schools (WINS) the learners’ lives will be transformed.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony at the school grounds, Caroline Njiru President of the Rotary Club of Kitengela said, “We’re here to solve the problem.”
She added “Rotary is an organization that brings together community volunteers to solve local problems, our club has engineers, architects, Public Relation professionals and people from all walks of life coming together to address urgent needs.”
Njiru further explained that at GK Prisons School, over 2,000 students share toilets that are in very poor condition.
“The current ratio is 1 toilet per 70–80 children, a sharp contrast to World Health Organization (WHO)’s standard of 1 to 30 for boys and 1 to 25 for girls,” said Njiru.
Many toilets lack doors and are hard to clean, making them unsafe and undignified for learners. We’re here to change that.” Said Njiru “We are here to renovate the existing toilets and construct new blocks for both boys and girls.”
The rotary club also plans to address the broader WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) issues with sustainable solutions, as they have done before by building kitchens, installing handwashing stations during COVID-19, and supporting feeding programs in different schools around Kajiado.
“GK Prisons is just the beginning. Through our Safi Kitengela WASH program, we aim to upgrade sanitation facilities in at least six public schools in Kitengela over the next two years, in partnership with organizations like Crystal Paints, Elgon Kenya, and Unilever,” reiterated Njiru.
Catherine Kipuri, the headteacher of GK Prisons Comprehensive School, has witnessed the challenges firsthand.
“The enrollment is at 2,500 and keeps growing. Yet our classrooms are crumbling, the library is too small, and the toilets are a health hazard,” said Kipuri. “Even our teachers have no staffroom, they sit in classrooms, our children deserve better.”
Many of these children come from informal settlements around Kajiado others from vulnerable, low-income families. They rely on this school not just for education but for meals, too. “We used to offer them a cup of porridge at lunch, but that stopped last month. We fear some may drop out due to hunger,” said Kipuri.
Despite these issues, the headteacher added that the students continue to excel academically and in music and sports. “They are talented, and with Competence Based Education (CBE) requiring creativity and innovation, we need an environment that supports their potential, she said.
Kitengela Safi
Dr. Patricio Njiru Njeru, a District Governor Nominee with Rotary District 9212, echoed the urgency of the intervention.
“Today we are breaking ground for Kitengela Safi, our sanitation improvement project. After assessing six schools in the area, we found student-to-toilet ratios as high as 1 to 140. At GK Prisons, we plan to build two new blocks one for boys, one for girls each with 10 to 20 toilets,” said Njeru.
According to him, the cost of each block is roughly KES 600,000. “Due to water scarcity, we are not installing flushable toilets but are using improved pit latrines with subtle pans hygienic, odor-free, and easy to clean,” added Njeru.
He assured the school that they will walk the WASH program together with the school for the next three years and ensure Kitengela becomes “Safi”, clean, safe and dignified for all schoolchildren.
Sanitation and psychology
Sylvester Mbugua, a Custody Psychologist and Board of Management member at the school, believes the project’s impact will go beyond hygiene.
“Our learners mostly come from slums and dysfunctional families. Some are raised by single mothers, others by parents working in local industries. I work with teachers, parents, and students to provide psychological support,” said Mbugua.
According to him, they have seen how poor environments increase stress and reduce performance. “Sanitation plays a role in mental well-being. This Rotary Club initiative will greatly boost the children’s morale and academic outcomes,” he added.
Initially, the school tried sourcing support before from the County Government and local companies like Portland Cement but the need still overtakes the help received.
With the Safi Kitengela program now underway, the school believes that hope is finally flowing like clean water, restoring dignity, health, and potential to GK Prison School’s future.
Patrick Wanjohi Project Director at the Rotary Club of Kitengela added that the pit latrines will be a bit modified with the girls’ block having an inclusive of mental hygiene room.
“We want to construct a pit latrine for both boys and girls. For the girls, it will include a menstrual hygiene room,” said Wanjohi. “The work is expected to take around 30 days before school re-open in late August.”
Further, he added that they are partnering with the school where the school will provide the manual labour, and the rotary will offer the professional labour. “During this period, we will also renovate the existing dilapidated toilet blocks.”
