A water kiosk at school

Setup at a school located in rural community with no tap water system. where school-going children walk long distances to secure water for their families before/ after going to school causing absenteeism resulting to school drop-outs.

where it will be the main source of clean water for all households, not only by providing clean water, improved sanitation and health but also its social business model that develop communities’ solidarity, developing local education and an entrepreneurial spirit.

A Water Kiosk at School is a (primary) school-based and students-managed business selling clean tap water to community residents at affordable price. It consists of financing a community school to set up on-site water kiosk with sustainable products for the students to transport tap water from school to their homes. It is both an educational and profitable business teaching the students business and entrepreneurial skills, and generating much-needed income for schools.

In Kenya, it is estimated that only a ⅓ of the population has access to safe drinking water close to their homes, at an affordable price. Therefore, school-going children have to walk long distances (at least 4km) so as to secure water for their families before/ after going to school causing absenteeism and resulting to school drop-outs.

In 2013 International Transformation Foundation members worked together on country wide research project about a sustainable clean drinking water system. One of the main insights gained is that all communities wish to improve their water system. Some communities do not have a working tap water system at all, prompting school-going children and women to walk very long distances to secure water from neighboring communities’ wells/ rivers.

The problem  with current water projects in Kenya’s communities are:

• the water system with the technical components to get groundwater to the tap and
• the paying system that describes what to pay for, how to maintain the system and how the business is set up; the social system.

That’s how A WATER KIOSK AT SCHOOL was created as a (primary) school based and students managed business selling clean tap water to community residents. 

Set up process:

A water kiosk at school is set up at a school located in a poor or rural community with no working tap water system. In any community, it is set to be the main source of clean water for all households.

Together with the school and community residents we work together to set up the kiosk within the available community resources. Through this process a community committee is selected to oversee and support the school to run the project.

Training & Running the Kiosk:

The kiosk is opened to the public after training students, teachers and the community committee how to run the day to day operations of the kiosk.

Day to day operations & records: 

The Kiosk is managed by 2 students per day with 2 roles. One receives money and does the book records. The other one is responsible for assisting customers at the tap. At the closing of any business day, both kiosk operators sign and submit the records book to the responsible teacher. 

A WATER KIOSK AT SCHOOL was created as a (primary) school-based and students-managed business selling clean tap water to community residents at an affordable price. In this context we work with community schools to set up on-site water kiosk with sustainable products for the students to transport tap water from school to their homes.

Setup at a school located in a generally poor community with no working tap water system. In a community, it set to be the main source of clean water for all households. It is characterized by the fellowing environment friendly products developed in partnership with Join the Pipe :

• Water Saving Tap Station - Our water stations not only provide clean drinking water but also saves water. No water is wasted with our auto-stop tap!
• DRIP TAPS For Hand Washing Facilities -We build toilets and hand washing sinks to prevent waterborne illnesses to spread. Drip taps technology reduces 90% of water usage!
• Water Bottles -  We provide refillable water bottles for the children to drink from made of BPA-free plastic.  
• Jerry Carry Karts - reduce the physical injury from constant lifting and carrying heavy loads of water on heads of the children.

The multiple benefits associated with a  water kiosk at school for students, school and community residents  include:

Financially :

• The micro-credit project for schools with a sustainable business model, creating money for WASH activities in school.
• A repaid loan system that allows funds to be redeployed to additional schools in need, thus reducing the need for subsidies and dependency.

Improved Sanitation And Health :

• All sanitation facilities are improved around the school, the money from the water kiosk is used to purchase soap and toilet paper for the school children.
• Jerry carry karts reduce the physical injury from constant lifting and carrying heavy loads of water on the heads of the children.
• Children are able to transport water to their own homes straight from school.
• Increased safety as children do not have to go to remote and dangerous places to fetch water.

Education And Capacity Development :

• Increased school attendance as children no longer need to absent themselves from school to secure water for their families.
• Work experience for students through the running the water kiosk. They learn about teamwork, commitment, leadership and responsibility.

A WATER KIOSK AT SCHOOL was created as a (primary) school-based and students-managed business selling clean tap water to community residents at an affordable price. In this context we work with community schools to set up on-site water kiosk with sustainable products for the students to transport tap water from school to their homes.

Setup at a school located in a generally poor community with no working tap water system. In a community, it set to be the main source of clean water for all households. It is characterized by the fellowing environment friendly products developed in partnership with Join the Pipe :

• Water Saving Tap Station - Our water stations not only provide clean drinking water but also saves water. No water is wasted with our auto-stop tap!
• DRIP TAPS For Hand Washing Facilities -We build toilets and hand washing sinks to prevent waterborne illnesses to spread. Drip taps technology reduces 90% of water usage!
• Water Bottles -  We provide refillable water bottles for the children to drink from made of BPA-free plastic.  
• Jerry Carry Karts - reduce the physical injury from constant lifting and carrying heavy loads of water on heads of the children.

The water kiosk at school  core  technology is at the design and production of environment friendly products that characterize the project. These products are  design and manufactured  in partnership with Join the Pipe in Holland:

• WATER SAVING TAP STATION - Produced in Stainless Steel AISI-316, the standard color is white, but every other RAL color is possible.  The  Tap Water Station/Fountain not only provides clean drinking water but also saves water. No water is wasted with our auto-stop tap. It is also vandal resistant. It has a customized filter system that removes the last impurities from the water ensuring that water that comes out is clean and safe for drinking.
• DRIP TAPS for HAND WASHING FACILITIES - We build toilets and hand washing sinks to prevent waterborne illnesses to spread. Drip taps technology reduces 90% of water usage!
• Multi-Use Bottles Our reusable bottles are a great alternative to ‘single-use’ plastic bottles. The bottles can be printed or embossed with a company logo or customized with the design of a city. Produced in Holland they are BPA free, Dishwasher proof, Reusable, Customizable and Renewable Source.

Prior to the project launch in 2014, a number of researches were conducted in order to find out more about the problems of current water projects and the qualities a good water project should have.

During explorative research, interviews and observations in rural and urban environments were done. The daily life’s and values of people were researched during context mapping sessions and a co-creation sessions were held to discuss possible solutions with the target communities.

The findings were/are taken into account when designing and implementing the project.  The ITF (International Transformation Foundation) team then sat together to brainstorm on the possibility of a good water system that directly promotes primary education and entrepreneurship to further contribute to the community’s development.

During the testing phase of the children came up with roles themselves to manage the kiosk.

According to Markella Rutherford from Wellesley College, author the study Children’s Autonomy and Responsibility: An Analysis of Child Rearing Advice, “doing chores helps children develop empathy and a desire to contribute to the well-being of others”.  By letting the children from the school run the Kiosk, they become part of a bigger entity and feel proud to be able to add to this. When they get older, they have a higher chance of taking responsibility and starting a business or project themselves that would help with the community development.

As of Today, we have:

• Built 11 Water Kiosks across 11 schools/ communities in Kenya and Rwanda therefore
• 5717 school children no longer absent from school to secure water for their families. They also have improved sanitation and health at their schools!
• 117858 people have access to clean tap water at an affordable price in their communities!

As of next year, we will have:

• Built 14 Water Kiosks across 14 schools/ communities in Kenya and Rwanda therefore
• 7817 school children will no longer be absent from school to secure water for their families. They also have improved sanitation and health at their schools!
• 123858 people will have access to clean tap water at an affordable price in their communities!

In next 5 years, we will have:

• Built 29 Water Kiosks across 29 schools/ communities in Kenya and Rwanda therefore
• 18317 school children will no longer be absent from school to secure water for their families. They also have improved sanitation and health at their schools!
• 133858 people will have access to clean tap water at an affordable price in their communities!

• We are into the second year of our 5-year strategic plan which is designed to replicate the project in other areas of Kenya, Rwanda and 2 other countries across East Africa.
•  We also plan to hold an annual conference for all schools running a water kiosk business to share their experiences and create a community network of schools running school based and students-managed business selling clean tap water to community residents at an affordable price. As educational and profitable business teaching children business and entrepreneurial skills while generating much-needed income for schools in Africa’s rural communities.
• Once the East Africa target has been achieved, we will turn our focus on replication the project across West Africa and other developing nations.
• Keep looking into ways of raising funds to set up the initiative in as many places as possible.  

1. Capital Investment challenge: as a small youth organization (ITF-International Transformation Foundation) our main challenge is access to funding. Since rural community schools do not have the money for the large investment. ITF makes the initial investment to set up the water system at a school. The school then, through selling of water to the students and members of the community at an affordable price (decided by community residents), is used for sustainability of the water system.  The other part of the money that is made from the water kiosk goes into supporting WASH activities in the school and paying off the initial investment to ITF which is then redeployed to an additional school/community. The school is able to repay off the capital investment after 36 months. With hundreds of schools/communities’ applications that we receive per year in need of a water kiosk at school. Our financing capacity is not enough.  
2. Team Capacity development: As we replicate the initiate in different communities and countries there is a huge need of supporting local members in making networks and understanding the steps necessary in setting up, financially sustaining and scaling a water kiosk at school in their communities & countries.

• Capital Investment challenge:  We have  2 people that keep looking into ways of raising funds to set up the initiative in as many places as possible.  
• Team Capacity development: As of now we are relying on conferences and workshops provided by other organizations that some of us are able to attend and share as much as possible learnt lessons.

A water kiosk at school is a project of International Transformation Foundation (ITF).

ITF is a youth-led non-profit organization providing leadership and entrepreneurship programs to contribute to development of our home communities. With 387 members. 

The ITF secretariat in Kenya has 7 full time volunteer staff.

The ITF  Secretariat in Rwanda has 3 full time volunteer staff.

A water kiosk at school was inspired by experiences shared by the founders and members of ITF (International Transformation Foundation) that run the water kiosk at school project.

ITF is managed by the board and the Secretariat. The board is referred as the board of directors who are responsible for the ultimate governance of the organization and has legal, fiduciary and ethical responsibilities. The ITF board is of 6 volunteering members and it has a Chairperson, secretary and Treasurer.

The Secretariat on the other hand is responsible for day to day operations of the organization and is coordinated through the Secretary General and Assisting volunteer staff members who are young people with extraordinary passion for communities’ development and relevant academic qualification to their respective positions. 

The Join the Pipe Foundation

A water kiosk at school was developed and is implementing in partnership with the Join the pipe Foundation partnership; a community promoting tap water drinking and access to clean water & sanitation. The foundation based in Amsterdam, also works to bring awareness to environmental impact of production and waste of bottled water. They design, manufacture and distribute  two primary products; tap water stations and refillable tap water bottles.  Through the   partnership the join the pipe foundation design and manufacture products that charecterise a water kiosk at school. Besides of that they provide ITF with  technical and capacity building and helps to raise capital investment from sale of their primary products along with donations in developed countries through “buy one give one campain”.  Below are the   specially designed  and sustainable products  that characterize a water kiosk at school  made available by Join the pipe:

• WATER SAVING TAP STATION
• DRIP TAPS for HAND WASHING FACILITIES
• WATER BOTTLES
• JERRY CARRY KARTS.

From the viewpoint of ITF who “sells” the water system to the school/community.  In this business model, the schools are the customers or clients. The value that is created for the schools is clean drinking water for the children of the school and the larger community in which the school is based in.

 It is also a way to make money for the school and an opportunity for an educational program that can be implemented into the school     curriculum. The initial costs of the project are covered by the funding ITF gets from members and or partners. The other revenue source is the school paying a monthly amount to compensate for the initial costs. However, there is a high risk that this will not happen, if the monitoring is not done properly.

ITF will get the schools mainly through its communities-based member networks who will also possibly be helping for the school and the kiosk monitoring and evaluation.

By pre-financing a school to set up the kiosk, the school is able to earn more than enough money from clean tap water selling to community residents at affordable price and repay the set-up cost which is then redeployed to additional school/community.

Learn and Network for capacity development: with access to Solve’s cross-sector community I will be able to learn practical insights and form partnerships/ networks that would be instrumental for my project replication and sustainability as I attempt to scale up our impact across East Africa. Through mentorship, I will learn and be guided on the paths to take to achieve the goal. Also joining Solve innovators will allow me to exchange ideas and experiences with fellow innovators of various backgrounds.

Cash award for capital investment to set up kiosks in other communities:  With the cash prize I will have access to funds (one of main challenges now) that will enable me to replicate my project in other communities.

N/A

I would love to connect with both for profit and non-profit organization in Water & Sanitation sector especially those in water & sanitation materials manufacturing and funding as:

• Having consistent, bulk orders of products from A Water Kiosk at School are attractive advantages to partnering with this project. Additionally, A Water Kiosk at School would benefit from partnering with material manufacturers by creating price-reduced deals on the products, thus lowering the overall CPU. 
• Manufacturers partnering with A Water Kiosk at School will create a positive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reputation for marketing and PR purposes. This Because Marketing would be strengthened by A Water Kiosk at School allowing manufacturers to use the kiosk logo on their website to highlight their charitable actions. Additionally, manufacturers may receive tax benefits, and these combined are major benefits to being involved in community development projects.

N/A

If we win this award, we would use it for our 5-year strategic plan that will see us:

• Replicate the project in other areas by setting up new ten (10) water kiosks in Kenya, five (5) water kiosk at school in Rwanda and three (3) water kiosk at school in two (2) new countries that will be in East and West Africa.
• Hold an annual conference for all schools running a water kiosk business to share their experiences, and create a community network.

N/A

N/A

N/A

If we win this award, we would use it for our 5-year strategic plan that will see us:

• Replicate the project in other areas by setting up new ten (10) water kiosks in Kenya, five (5) water kiosk at school in Rwanda and three (3) water kiosk at school in two (2) new countries that will be in East and West Africa.
• Hold an annual conference for all schools running a water kiosk business to share their experiences, and create a community network.

N/A