Pulani is a relatively new primary school in Eastern Zambia with almost 300 students enrolled in grades 1-8. Before the school officially opened in late 2017, the area's Environmental Health Technician went to conduct an assessment to make sure the facility was fit for students and found that the school had no water source. Under pressure to get the school opened on schedule, the district hired a company that quickly (and quite carelessly) came out to dig a borehole. After completing the structure, the community used the borehole for only a few days before it went dry; the drilling company, against the recommendations of more knowledgable community members, dug a borehole where the water table is not high enough to consistently provide clean water year round.

The school opened despite their lack of water so now there are 293 boys and girls with no access to clean water to wash their hands or drink throughout their hot days learning in a cramped classroom. The 6 surrounding villages served by this school also have no boreholes so community members are left to source their water from shallow, contaminated wells. The incidence of diarrheal disease is high in this area due to lack of clean water for drinking/cooking/washing hands.

The EHT has continued writing to the District Council to advocate for a borehole for this community but just continues to receive vague excuses as to why it can't be done. So we've decided to take it into our own hands. We are asking for help to raise the money we need to hire a reliable company to come out a dig a borehole for this community and ensure their basic human right to access to clean water.

Companies like to drill boreholes just before the rainy season, when the water table is lowest so they know the borehole is deep enough to provide water year round. It is currently late November and we've already been getting afternoon showers so we are extremely grateful for any help we can get! 

Thank you!!