"Without the African Development Bank, this school would have been closed because of the poor sewerage system that broke down due to flooding from heavy rains in 2024," Alice Mwangi, the headmistress of Chieko Junior School, in Kasarani, said with a smile during an interview, pointing to the new sewer line infrastructure.
According to Mwangi, the school had just eight toilets shared among 22 teachers and 1,800 students - far too few to meet the needs of the entire school community.
"All the students, big and small, used the same toilets, even sharing with the teachers. When they saw a teacher approaching, they would run away," said Mwangi.
Previously, the school relied on a septic tank that often overflowed, spreading effluent across the compound. "Learners frequently suffered from stomach aches and diarrhoea," recalled Mwangi, adding: "Heavy rains only worsened the situation, creating a health hazard, and at times, driving students to withdraw from school."
Thanks to the Nairobi Rivers Sewerage Rehabilitation and Restoration Project - Phase Two (NaRSIP II), funded in the amount of €59.4 million by the African Development Bank and €3.5 million by the African Development Fund, the school is now connected to the main sewer grid, and there is no more overflowing of liquid waste. New toilets have also been constructed, easing overcrowding.
Now the school boasts a modern ablution block with sufficient toilets, featuring separate wings for teachers, designated units for boys and girls, and an accessible facility for learners with special needs.
"Hygiene standards have improved, and students now enjoy safe, clean toilets," Mwangi added.
The NaRSIP II project, which commenced in 2019, aims to improve sanitation in Nairobi's informal and peri-urban settlements through the construction of wastewater treatment facilities and sewer reticulation infrastructure, as well as ablution blocks.
Amani Wanjau, an engineer with the Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA), reported that in the Mwiki area, where the school sits, the project has laid 153 km of sewer lines, allowing 200 households to access improved sanitation through new sewer connections.
Some 18 km away in Mukuru Kayaba, Jane Mbula, Chairlady of Ushirika wa Usafi na Maendeleo Kayaba (KUUM), translated as Kayaba Association for Sanitation and Development, shared how a new sanitation block has transformed the community.
She recalled that when she first came to the area in 1986, there were no toilets, there was no water. People defecated in their houses using polythene bags, which they then threw (flying toilets) in the open fields, ditches, or the nearby Ngong River. The search for water became risky.
"We had to walk more than three km to fetch water, and it was dangerous - especially for women and girls. Many were attacked or assaulted at night as they went out in search of water."
Today, things are very different. New ablution blocks have been constructed, comprising bathrooms and toilets, restoring both dignity and safety to the community.
"There is water at our doorstep. Hygiene standards have greatly improved," said Mbula. "Girls and women can now shower in a clean, private environment, and proper facilities have replaced flying toilets."
Cholera outbreaks, which once plagued the area, are now a thing of the past.
The new facilities have also created jobs. Meren Kerubo, employed by KUUM, manages the sanitation block, collecting small user fees from about 2,000 users daily. She is now able to support her six-year-old child.
Through the project, the community also has a social hall where youth gather for activities like acting, and which is also rented out to churches and other groups. "The rentals generate income and create jobs for local residents," explained Peter Okari, the KUUM Chairman.
From creating local jobs to cleaner, safer communities, NaRSIP II is transforming Nairobi's informal settlements at-scale.
Eng. James Muturi, AWWDA's Deputy Director for Sewerage Works Infrastructure Development, said the project has involved laying 400 km of sewer lines, connecting 20,000 households, building and rehabilitating ablution blocks, and upgrading wastewater treatment, benefiting around one million residents.
Beyond improving local sanitation and community facilities, the project has broader economic and developmental benefits.
"Access to sewerage services is critical as it also induces industrialization by creating a healthier workforce and attracting businesses to areas with reliable sanitation," added Eng. Lazarus Phiri, AfDB Principal Water Supply and Sanitation Officer.
"The Bank's support ensures improved livelihoods," he stressed.
