The completion of the Mututo Primary School borehole project in Mukurwe-ini has turned out to be a game changer not only for the learners but also for the residents living near the institution.
The project by the Tana Water Works Development Agency (TWWDA) was officially commissioned by former Water Cabinet Secretary (CS) Zecharia Mwangi Njeru, to address the perennial challenges of water for the school and surrounding communities, who had to walk long distances to search for the precious commodity.
The borehole, strategically drilled within the premises of Mututo Primary School, is designed to serve not only the school’s population but also the neighbouring villages.
The availability of a consistent water supply has further catalysed economic activities in the area, with farmers now able to irrigate their crops more effectively, leading to increased agricultural productivity.
The school’s Head Teacher, Ms. Grace Wanjiku Mugo, has lauded the water project, terming it as a timely intervention in tackling the challenge of water supply in the area.
The administrator said the school had nearly given up on finding a lasting solution to water scarcity in the area until the state agency stepped in to help.
Mugo now says that apart from providing water to the school, the initiative has, in addition, reduced cases of waterborne ailments such as diarrhoea among the learners.
“We are so grateful for this good gesture from the Tana Water Works Development Agency, which has enabled us to get running water in our school. Water is an essential resource you cannot do without. In the past, pupils were frequently affected by waterborne diseases due to a lack of clean running water. But this is now in the past. The school has now put enough washing points where children can wash their hands and also fetch water for drinking any time they get thirsty. But the project has even gone beyond providing water for the school and is now a source of water for both livestock keepers and crop farmers,” she pointed out.
Julius Wairagu, an area resident, has also extolled the new watering project, which he says has solved the problem of residents having to travel long distances in search of the commodity for their families and livestock.
Wairagu says the project has not only solved the problem of having to walk long distances in search of water but also freed more time for residents with which they can attend to other pressing duties.
“Before the construction of this watering point, we had to travel very far to get water for our domestic use, an undertaking that was not only expensive but also time-consuming and strenuous. But with this kind gesture from the Government, we can now access water both for our domestic uses and also for irrigating our crops,” said Wairagu.
His sentiments are echoed by Gerald Warui Kariuki, who once served as the Chairperson of the Board of Governors for years before retiring from public limelight to concentrate on farming.
Kariuki said the water project is a great boost in the running of the school that had for a long time lacked a source of water of its own.
He says for the years he sat on the school board, the challenge of finding a permanent water solution for the institution rarely missed the agenda.
“Apart from providing water to this school, the community around this area will also be a beneficiary of this project. Personally, I used to spend a lot of money hiring motorcycle riders to supply water for my domestic use since there are no running rivers near here. Fortunately, the situation has changed for the better. I have now acquired additional tanks to store water for both my domestic uses and agricultural purposes. Similarly, any person wishing to hire the premises of this school for a social function need not worry about where he will find water since it is just within, unlike in the past,” he pointed out.
By Samuel Maina