The story of the Victoria’s Hope project on Mfangano Island in Lake Victoria continues with the building of a rain catchment system. Gutters were installed on the roof of Mayfield Christian School and Orphanage and connected to (5) 2,000 gallon tanks. These will more than supply enough water for the entire campus during dry season.
Kennedy Odida, the school’s director, brought in a local plumber named Beltazar who is 70 years young to run pipes from the gutters to the tanks and make sure the water was flowing freely. Supplies on the island are limited and he had to be inventive building some of his own tools and ladders. Beltazar went the extra mile by climbing inside the tanks to clean them before any water was added!
Once the rain catchment system was in place, Kennedy and the students eagerly awaited the arrival of the WaterStep team. Ambassador Raphael Wanjala and Field Consultant Jude Mugema were coming to train Kennedy and his team how to operate the M-100 ChlorineGenerator. Manufactured by WaterStep, this piece of equipment will make the collected water safe to drink. It’s simple to operate and fully sustainable.
The wait was finally over. The WaterStep team had arrived! Raphael and Jude are pictured above training the Mfangano Island team how to operate the M-100 ChlorineGenerator. The machine runs on a handful of salt, the island’s freshwater source and a 12 volt car battery. Through the process of electrolysis, the chlorine is pulled out of the salt and a chlorine gas is generated. The free chlorine is injected into the water and destroys the pathogens and parasites that cause waterborne illness.
Time to celebrate! Mayfield Christian School and Orphanage on Mfangano Island finally has safe water to drink. The students no longer have to make the treacherous climb up the mountain carrying 40 pounds of water on their heads. They are no longer suffering from waterborne illnesses. Kennedy reports that students are already remarkably healthier and school attendance has increased!
The WaterStep team heads home from the island after a job well done!
