THE SANITATION SITUATION IN LODWAR, NORTHERN KENYA.
The importance of water, and hygiene (WASH) services was evident since its
introduction as one of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. The continuing
COVID19 pandemic emphasised, even more, the need to have access to WASH facilities
with people being encouraged to maintain high levels of hygiene which includes frequent
handwashing.
Bearing this in mind and aware that children spend a significant portion of their day in
school, NALSA(K)’s Turkana Central constituency representative has selected two public
primary schools to receive some help with their WASH facilities. Mrs Agnes Lodepe’s project
will be one in a series of many projects implemented across the country by NALSA(K) in
partnership with Proudly Kenyan.
We took a trip to the two schools – Lodwar Mixed Primary School, the oldest primary school
in the region, and St Bakhita’s Loyo Primary School – to speak to the headteachers about
the upcoming project developments and how they anticipate it will benefit their institutions.
Toilet Shortages
One of the significant challenges facing both schools is the lack of adequate washrooms for
their population. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a pupil-toilet ratio of
1:30 for boys and 1:25 for girls. Both the schools exceed this limit. Loyo Primary has ten
latrines for 300 girls and about the same number for 500 boys. The 20 teachers share two
latrines. At Lodwar Mixed, the case is not significantly different, with the 46 teachers having
to share one restroom and the over 600 girls using just four latrines.
Mr Reuben Lotiang, the headmaster of Lodwar Mixed Primary School, pointed out that the
students’ class attendance has been significantly affected. They often have to form long
queues to use the washroom. The time spent waiting to use the loos has resulted in a drop
in academic performance. “They miss some lessons, but we just have to understand them
because there’s nothing they can do,” he noted. One of the reasons there are very few
toilets at the school is collapsing toilets. Health authorities have deemed some toilets
unusable, while others have completely fallen apart due to termite infestation.
Additional problems with washrooms include the lack of privacy, especially for the girls, at
Loyo Primary School. There are two pit latrines in one stall. There is also nowhere for the
girls to change in comfort or properly dispose of their sanitary products while menstruating.
At Lodwar Mixed, the girls face a security challenge, especially at night, as their toilets are
located far out in the bushes.
Water problems
In addition to the above, the schools have water challenges that compound the sanitation
problems. Both schools don’t have enough resources to store water or pumps to help
distribute the water throughout the school. Sometimes they also have water shortages.
At Loyo Primary, the headteacher, Mr James Akoyo, mentioned that they have recently
resumed getting water supply from the Lodwar Water Services Company (LOWASC) after a
brief pause since the school could not afford to pay the expenses.
According to Mr Lotiang, the boarding students at Lodwar Mixed occasionally sneak out of
school to look for water in Lodwar Town when there is no water in school. This poses a
security risk for them.
Light at the end of the tunnel
UNICEF notes that toilets, safe water and soap for handwashing create a healthy learning
environment. It also means that girls will be more likely to attend school during their period.
Mrs Lodepe’s proposed project would see dilapidated washrooms rehabilitated, additional pit
latrines constructed, water tanks and handwashing kits donated, and solar pumps installed
in both schools.
“Once these problems are dealt with, it will encourage new students to enrol and help us
retain the current ones,” Mr Akoyo remarked. Students have previously left both primary
schools because of the sanitation issues as they feared for their health.
Mr Lotiang echoed his sentiments, who is himself an alumnus of Lodwar Mixed Primary
School and therefore is deeply passionate about the project. “The project will restore our
school to its former glory,” he stated. One of the notable alumni of the school is Rt. Hon.
Ekitela Lokaale, speaker of the County Assembly of Turkana.
We are looking forward to seeing the highly anticipated project implemented in the next few
months. It will no doubt serve the community well.
By Sophia Wanyonyi.
Photographs by Julia Laval.