Over the past 12 years, hundreds of schools from all over the world have taken the School Challenge pledge to help us conquer water scarcity, and improve sanitation and hygiene in the most vulnerable communities in developing countries. Check out their accomplishments!
2022 – 2023 SCHOOL CHALLENGE FOR NORTHERN UGANDA
24 Schools Participated!
The first School Challenge well was built for Beitmat Village in Aromo Sub-County; the well was installed on June 7, 2022. Matalala Village in Aromo Sub-County also received a deep well this year! Both wells have undergone water quality testing before the water sources were commissioned and officially handed over to the villages.
Our local partner has educated Beitman and Matalala village members on proper WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) techniques. This WASH training included this basic education, and how to maintain and source repairs for their water source. You can read about WASH here.
Before the construction of these wells, people living in Beitman villages would drink from contaminated surface ponds, and use this same source for handwashing, dishes, and clothing. Thanks to the 2022-23 School Challenge participants, villagers have reported an immediate reduction in water-related illnesses and flu. Also, the incidence of waterborne diseases has greatly reduced. These diseases (diarrhoea, worms, dysentery, typhoid, skin diseases) were very common within Beitman village, but with this new well, people are feeling so much better. They want to say a big “Apowoyo Matet (Thank You)!”
Once again, thank you to the 14 schools who have already donated towards this year’s School Challenge project! We could not do our work with partners like DivineAID without incredible people like you! Please send any questions to info@ryanswell.
2020/2021 SCHOOL CHALLENGE FOR GHANA
59 Schools Participated!
Students and staff at two schools in the Adansi South District in Ghana – Atobiase Roman Catholic Primary and Junior High School (563 students), and Apagya D/A (307 students) – did not have access to clean, safe water and sanitation near their school. They drank from a contaminated, unprotected spring, which made them sick, and the nearest latrine was over a kilometre (0.62 miles) away! Because the community was missing basic necessities (such as clean water and sanitation), properly trained teachers are reluctant to teach there, meaning that many of the teachers in these schools are under-qualified. But, with help from School Challenge participants, these two schools received a deep well each, handwashing stations, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) training, and pump mechanic and committee training. This clean water and sanitation to the community will not only improve their health and save lives, but will help to draw more qualified teachers to the area, leading to a better education, and more opportunities. Thank you, School Challenge participants! You have helped to provide over 870 students, teachers, and staff with clean water and brighter futures!
The total cost for this project was $27,179.
A. Lorne Cassidy Elementary; American Community School; Asheville Montessori School; Battle Lake Public School; Bishop MacDonell School; Corpus Christi School; Desert Bloom Preschool; École Rivière Rideau; Guardian Angels School; J.L. Jordan Catholic School; Kellison Elementary School; La Madraza School; Lake Havasu Learning Center; Martin Elementary School; Middle Creek Elementary School; Mme. Bourdeau’s Virtual Class #31; Myers Park Traditional School; Piedmont Valley Elementary School; Prenda Microschool at the Lake Havasu Learning Center; Propel Montour Charter School; Rideau Heights Public School; Rousseau Elementary School; Sacred Heart Catholic School; Saint Albert Schools; Sathya Sai School; Scotts Ridge Middle School; Searingtown Elementary School; St. Alexander Catholic School; St. Augustine’s Elementary School; St. Brendan School; St. John Catholic Elementary School; St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School; St. Jude Catholic Elementary School; St. Mark Catholic High School; St. Michael Catholic High School; St. Michaels University School; St. Peter Catholic School; Trinity School; Walnut Bend Elementary School; Watson Elementary School; Westlake Elementary; Willard Public School; Wilson School
2019/2020 SCHOOL CHALLENGE FOR WESTERN UGANDA
56 Schools Participated!
In Western Uganda, students often spend 1-2 hours per day collecting contaminated water. This is time that is taken away from learning, and many students fall behind in their studies because of it. The water they collect also comes from rivers, and often carries water-borne diseases, such as cholera, dysentery, and diarrhoea, which cause students to become sick – leading to even more missed school hours. It is for these reasons that Ryan’s Well Foundation partnered with Rukungiri Women’s Integrate Development Foundation (RWIDF) in Western Uganda for the 2019-2020 School Challenge project, which provided two vulnerable primary schools with rainwater harvesting tanks, and one primary school with two 4-stance latrines – one for male students, and one for female students – along with accompanying handwashing jars. In addition to these two primary schools, another six schools in this region were mobilized and received critical WASH training. Thank you to the amazing students, teachers, and staff who participated; you have helped to provide another 3000+ people with access to safe water!
The total cost for this project was $45,867.
