Mahanga Primary School is located in rural Vihiga County in western Kenya — a place full of hope, but also full of hardship. On the school grounds stands a solar-powered borehole that has not produced water for months. The pump, pipes and technical components are damaged. Around 800 school children have no access to safe drinking water.
The children are forced to drink contaminated river water. There are no functioning sanitary facilities. Diseases spread rapidly. Under these conditions, health and education are mutually exclusive.
In March 2026, WIR water expert Nancy traveled to Vihiga County to personally assess the technical situation. Her finding was clear: the solar-powered borehole can be rehabilitated. With this, Nancy gave the go-ahead for Project Phase I and the partnership with Cervo Mountain Resort.
We are repairing the solar-powered borehole on the school grounds, replacing defective components and ensuring that safe water is reliably produced. At the same time, we focus on education: teachers, school children and parents are being trained on the importance of hygiene, handwashing and the proper use of the facility.
- Repair and rehabilitation of the solar-powered borehole
- Replacement of defective pipes and technical components
- Hygiene training for teachers, students and parents
- Establishment of a local maintenance structure for sustainable upkeep
- Assessment for the construction of hygienic sanitary facilities on the school grounds
The goal is clear: the school children at Mahanga Primary School should learn in an environment where health and education go hand in hand. The rehabilitated borehole will also serve the surrounding communities in Vihiga County.
