(Water, Sanitation & Hygiene in Schools)
As Rotarians, we’ve witnessed heartbreak during school needs‑assessments: sponge fragments stitched into “mattresses,” children having no water to wash their hands, and over‑crowded latrines reeking behind classroom blocks. Those sights were especially stark; yet amid the hardship we also saw a spark of hope in the shy smiles of pupils who had benefited from the first toilet block we installed at Noonkopir primary school. That moment crystallised our mission: to give every child the dignity of safe water, sanitation and hygiene. We named the project SAFI—Swahili for ‘clean’—because clean is where health, confidence and opportunity begin.

1. Why This Matters
   Across Kitengela’s rapidly growing peri‑urban settlements, more than 6 000 pupils attend class without reliable toilets, safe water, or a place to wash their hands. At Noonkopir Primary alone, over 1 000 children queue for ten ageing latrines; one cubicle may serve more than 100 learners, over three times the World Health Organization’s standard. Girls often stay home during their menstrual cycles; waterborne diseases fuel absenteeism; teachers lose precious learning hours managing preventable illness. Clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are not luxuries—they are the foundation of health, dignity, and uninterrupted education.
   
2. Our Vision
   The Rotary Club of Kitengela, a trusted community partner since 2018, will transform WASH conditions in six public schools by 2026, ensuring every child has:
   
   • a safe, private toilet within a short walk of the classroom,
   • running water for drinking and hand‑washing, and
   • practical hygiene education that endures long after construction crews leave.