The Rotary Club of Nairobi Metropolitan has stepped up efforts to promote hygiene, improve access to learning materials and strengthen environmental conservation in schools after conducting a community outreach programme at Kasarini Primary and Junior School in Kiambu County.
The initiative, held to mark International Handwashing Day, brought together the Rotary fraternity and the school community in a campaign aimed at instilling healthy hygiene practices among learners while improving the facilities and resources needed to support their education and well being.
The club donated soap, water tanks and reading materials, alongside planting about 60 fruit trees as part of a broader intervention linking disease prevention, education, nutrition and environmental conservation.
Rotary Club of Nairobi Metropolitan president Arthur Kinyanjui said the initiative reflected the organisation’s commitment to building healthier communities through practical interventions that respond to the needs of children and schools.
He said access to clean water and soap, coupled with proper handwashing techniques, was essential in reducing the spread of germs and preventing illnesses that could affect learners’ health, school attendance and concentration in class.
“Today marks a very significant day for us as a club as we celebrate International Handwashing Day in partnership with Kasarini Primary School,” Mr Kinyanjui said.
He explained that literacy, hygiene and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programmes were among the areas through which Rotary seeks to improve the quality of life in communities.
The club took learners through practical handwashing lessons, demonstrating the correct procedures and explaining the importance of washing hands at critical moments, including before eating and after visiting the toilet.
The donation of soap and water tanks was intended to ensure that the lessons translate into everyday practice by improving access to the basic resources learners need to maintain proper hygiene.
Mr Kinyanjui said the provision of water storage facilities would help the school sustain handwashing routines, particularly where a reliable supply of water remained a challenge.
He acknowledged the contribution of Sawa Soap and Kentainers, which supported the initiative through donations of soap and water tanks.
The partnership, he said, demonstrated the importance of collaboration between community organisations, private sector players and educational institutions in delivering interventions that directly benefit children.
Beyond hygiene, the club incorporated environmental conservation and nutrition into the programme through the planting of approximately 60 fruit trees within the school community.
Mr Kinyanjui said the trees would contribute to greening the school compound, improve tree cover and, as they mature, provide fruits that could supplement learners’ diets.
He noted that environmental initiatives in schools could offer lasting benefits by exposing children to the importance of protecting nature while creating opportunities for practical learning on conservation and nutrition.
The club also donated storybooks and reading materials in Kiswahili and English to strengthen the school’s library and support learning under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).
The materials are expected to give learners additional opportunities to develop reading fluency, language skills and a culture of reading beyond classroom lessons.
Mr Kinyanjui said the club was keen to build on the partnership with Kasarini Primary and Junior School and extend similar interventions to other communities.
He said future initiatives would focus on health, education, environmental conservation and maternal and child health, including efforts to promote dignity for mothers during childbirth.
The club intends to pursue broader partnerships to expand its reach and deliver sustainable community programmes in line with its development priorities.
At the school, head teacher George Thumbi welcomed the intervention, describing it as an important contribution to learners’ health, education and general welfare.
Mr Thumbi said the handwashing lessons went beyond demonstrations, helping pupils understand why proper hygiene was necessary and how it could protect them against germs and disease.
He said the learners were taken through the seven steps of handwashing and guided on the importance of maintaining clean hands as part of their daily routines.
The head teacher added that the initiative complemented the school’s responsibility to implement the curriculum while creating a supportive environment in which learners could develop essential life skills.
He thanked the Rotary Club for donating soap, water tanks, fruit trees and reading materials, saying the support would strengthen the school’s efforts to provide quality education and promote good health.
Mr Thumbi said the Kiswahili and English readers would enrich the school’s learning resources, while the water tanks and soap would help reinforce hygiene practices among pupils.
The fruit trees, he added, would contribute to improving the school environment and provide potential nutritional benefits in the years ahead.
He expressed gratitude to the visiting team for taking time out of its schedule to engage with the learners and support the institution.
The outreach highlights the role of school based partnerships in addressing challenges that extend beyond academic performance, including access to water, disease prevention, nutrition and environmental awareness.
By combining hygiene education with infrastructure support and learning resources, the initiative seeks to ensure that children not only acquire knowledge in the classroom but also develop habits that protect their health and contribute to their long term well being.
For Kasarini Primary and Junior School, the donations offer an opportunity to strengthen everyday hygiene practices, expand access to reading materials and cultivate environmental responsibility among learners.
The Rotary Club said it would continue exploring partnerships with schools and other community institutions to expand interventions in education, health and environmental conservation.
