Last year the CanAssist  African Relief Trust funded construction of new toilets at the Mutundu School in Ruriru District of Kenya.  There were about 250 children at this school all using two dirty and dilapidated toilet buildings. The “staff” toilets had already started to sink into the ground and were unusable.

Dan Otieno presents a plaque to Michael Gichira of the Murera group outside the latrines constructed in 2012 with funding from CanAssist.

Through the Murera Community Empowerment and Support Organization, CanAssist was able to provide new, clean toilets for the school and hook up a water source to allow hand-washing. CanAssist’s representative in Kenya, Dan Otieno, visited the Mutundu school in July 2013. “The work has been successfully done and the schools sanitation has totally improved (250) kids can now enjoy better latrines and have access to water.” he reports.

Lack of adequate sanitation is a scourge throughout sub-Saharan Africa.  Less than 40% of people have access to any sanitation facility at all – mainly using fields and even the gutters for their toilet  needs.

In addition to the humiliation and lack of privacy which accompanies open defecation, the health risks from having raw sewage exposure are many.  Gastrointestinal diseases (typhoid, cholera, viral illnesses) abound and are a significant cause of morbidity and even mortality.  Access to clean water for hand-washing is also usually not available. This compounds the spread of disease.

This year CanAssist will fund a similar sanitation initiative in the Twiga School in Ruriru District, Kenya through the same Murera organization.  Dan Otieno, visited the school in July and reports:

“The school is in Ruiru District Kiambu country Kenya about 6 km North Ruiru town. The school has  a population of around 504 and 13 teaching staff and 4 non-teaching staff. The existing latrines are filled up while some are in bad conditions and as such even dangerous for the pupils to use.”

The condition of these toilets is deplorable.  Can you imagine sending your child to use these facilities? How can children be taught about hand-washing and prevention of fecal-oral spread of disease when these are the facilities being offered by their school?

The boys toilet at the Twiga school. Can you even imagine?

Dan also visited the Mutundu School in July 2013.  “The work has been successfully done and the schools sanitation has totally improved (250) kids can now enjoy better latrines and have access to water.” he reports.

Given the successful improvements made at the Mutundu school last year, CanAssist is eager to find funding for this second school sanitation project in the same region.  The cost of providing latrines for this school will be about $6000.

Can you help? Any donations to CanAssist allocated to the Twiga School Sanitation Project will help us acquire the financing to go ahead with this project.

Ruth and Donald Redmond will celebrate 65 years of marriage on August 21.  Congratulations!

The family of Ruth and Donald Redmond of Arbour Heights in Kingston Canada would like to celebrate this couple’s 65th wedding anniversary by helping to fund this project to improve sanitation at the Twiga School.  Donations specified to the Twiga School or the Redmond Anniversary Fund will be allocated to this project and can be made through Canada Helps (link below) or by mail to CanAssist, 562 Sycamore Street, Kingston, Ontario. K7M7L8