Ashihaya
The feeding programme at Ashihaya Junior Primary School that was suspended at the beginning of the year following a water crisis was back on track on Tuesday after government installed a 10 000-litre water container at the school.
Another 10 000-litre tank was installed at the village through the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry to cater for about 300 homesteads that in recent months had to do with drinking murky water drawn from distant ponds.
A week ago this publication reported the school feeding programme at the school had been put on ice for five months following an acute water crisis at the village resulting from the drought.
Villagers had to drink saline water from one borehole while the water ministry through its department of rural water supply was only able to provide water to the villagers every three months, or sometimes six months.
However, that did not completely alleviate the situation as the masses still had to walk long distances in search of water.
But following the report villagers and learners were assisted with water tanks, which are to be filled up once a month.
Water from the tank at the remote school will be used for cooking the morning meal under the school feeding programme, and for drinking and washing by learners.
According to the school principal Agness Amupolo the installation of the tank came a week after this newspaper reported on the plight of learners who went to school unwashed and sometimes had to go for long periods without a drop of water.
“At least now some children are clean and there is high attendance of learners because there is water and food at school. We are thankful for the quick temporary response and we hope the government will also help us with the pipeline so that we can get a toilet,” said an elated Amupolo.
When this reporter arrived at the school learners were queuing up for the morning porridge with smiling faces.
Learners said the water tank rescued their lot though they appealed to government to provide them with toilets as it is not safe to relieve themselves in nearby bushes. When the situation deteriorated the school principal was forced to bring drinking water from home every weekend.
Both the teachers and learners relieve themselves in the nearby bushes.
Teachers who camp at the school sometimes use buckets in their makeshift shacks during the day and empty them at night when the children are not around to avoid being ridiculed.
“As you can see the school is still new, and there are only shrubs around. You cannot help yourself there because children can follow you and look at what you are doing. You just have to go back in the room and relieve yourself in a dish/bucket that you can throw out after school,” said the principal.