Britam Foundation, Davis & Shirtliff boost learning with solar water projects in Murang’a schools

Britam Foundation in partnership with Davis & Shirtliff has commissioned solar-powered water projects at Theri Primary School and Murang’a School for the Hearing Impaired, a move aimed at improving access to clean and reliable water in schools while promoting sustainable learning environments.

The initiative seeks to ensure that learners in rural schools do not miss classes due to water shortages, while also supporting environmental conservation and clean energy adoption. The commissioning events also included tree planting activities in both schools as part of Britam Foundation’s environmental sustainability pillar.

Speaking during the handover at Theri Primary School, head teacher Mrs. Susan Macharia applauded the partnership for addressing a critical need within the school. She noted that the project would support several school activities, including agriculture lessons under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum.

Access to clean water

“This project will go a long way in supporting the education of children. Now that we have access to clean water, we can prevent waterborne diseases such as typhoid and cholera. The learners can also focus on their studies without the worry of going to the river to fetch water to clean their classrooms,” she added.

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Similarly, in Murang’a School for the Hearing Impaired, the team handed over the newly constructed solar powered borehole. The school which houses over 300 learners had previously faced challenges with shortage of water. They also incurred heavy electricity bills because their previous system relied on electrical power.

“This water project has already cut down our bill by up to 75%, allowing us to save money and use it on other emerging needs. The learners can also see practically how solar energy works as opposed to just seeing it in their books. This is a good initiative for the community because it uses green energy and conserves the environment,” said Mr Mashuria, the head of institution.

Education promotion

Chairman of the Britam Foundation Board, Dr Peter Munga emphasized that the initiative is part of the Foundation’s broader mission to promote eduation and create enabling learning environments across the country. He encouraged learners to remain focused on their education and strive for excellence.

“Education remains one of the most powerful tools for transforming communities. Through initiatives such as this, we want to create an environment where learners can thrive and fully focus on their studies,” said Dr. Munga.

The two events concluded with an engaging tree planting session. The students were taught the importance of planting trees as a way of conserving the environment.

The initiative is part of Britam Foundation’s flagship water programme, which has so far reached over 90,000 learners and community members across 70 schools in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda through solar-powered boreholes and hygiene education.

The Foundation invests in four interlinked pillars: Health and Wellbeing, Education, Environment, and Entrepreneurship. These focus areas address some of the most pressing challenges facing communities today: access to quality healthcare, disparities in learning outcomes, the growing impacts of climate change, and the need for inclusive economic participation.