Over 400 students to benefit from new water project at school in Kajiado

The initiative, which involved the drilling of a borehole, was implemented through a partnership between the non-governmental organisation Light Up Hope and the Kajiado County Government. It was officially commissioned by Governor Joseph Ole Lenku.

County officials highlighted that the project will support food production within the school by enabling the expansion of kitchen gardens. This, in turn, is expected to help curb hunger in Kajiado, a region frequently affected by prolonged droughts.

The water project, estimated to have cost Ksh.5 million, is part of a broader plan to roll out similar initiatives in other public schools across the county.

Speaking during the launch, Kelly Shaugnessy, President of Light Up Hope, said the organisation currently supports feeding programs in over 1,000 public schools. She added that drilling boreholes will allow schools to transition from reliance on external feeding programs to homegrown food systems. She also urged pastoralist communities to embrace education as a key driver of regional development.

Daniel Mugenga, headteacher of Mutunkei Primary School, welcomed the initiative, noting that the availability of water will enable the school to expand its kitchen garden. He said the project will benefit not only the students but also the wider community by helping to address food shortages caused by recurring droughts.