Clean Water, Happy Learners: Gampakalala Primary’s Journey to Hygiene and Hope

Ronald Magweta

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

By Leana Padera (Communications Graduate Intern)

Nkayi, Zimbabwe – At 10 am, the bell rings for break time at a local 1Primary School in Nkayi District, and children dash out of their classrooms excited and in their numbers to wash their hands before receiving their first meal of the day. Eleven-year-old Sharmaine runs toward a nearby tap, determined to be first in line. The scene is a small but powerful testament to change.

Sharmaine drinking water from the tap — *Sharmaine drinks water from the tap*

“I like to be the first in line to get a plate of porridge, so I quickly wash my hands before anyone else,” she says with a smile.

“I enjoy beating my friends to it.”

Thanks to UNICEF Zimbabwe and World Vision Zimbabwe, with support from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) under the System Transformation Grant, the old borehole which the school used, was mechanised into a reliable piped water system, ending years of struggle to access clean water.

Previously, the school depended on a community hand-pump that frequently broke down or dried up, making it difficult for learners and staff to access water. School head, Mr. Ncube, recalls the hardships vividly:

“There were times when the school would go for three weeks without water. Learners had to fetch water from unsafe sources, and this affected their learning. We also could not clean the toilets daily, which impacted hygiene at the school,” he said.

Now, Mr. Ncube enjoys seeing even the youngest learners marvel at the new taps.

“The little infants still treat the water like it is magic! I often have to chuckle watching them splash around, they have not lost the joy of discovering something so simple, but so life changing,” he jokes warmly.

*Since the installation of the water system, teachers have observed fewer absentee days and noticeably improved concentration in class*

The mechanized piped water system, which includes seven water points around the school and one just outside the school, benefits 221 learners and 40 nearby households, transforming life both at school and in the surrounding community.

“This is where we used to fetch water whenever borehole broke down, and I often got sick,” says Dolika, a community member, pointing to an unprotected source.

“Now, the tap is just a doorstep away, and I no longer have to drink unclean water.”

*Dolika demonstrates how she used to fetch water from an unprotected source*

The school is planning further improvements, including girl-friendly toilets to promote menstrual hygiene and dignity, as well as a nutrition garden to complement the school feeding program.

*Children fetching clean water from a newly installed tap*

“It is inspiring to see the impact, teachers are now spending more time in the classroom, the environment is cleaner and more comfortable, and it shows that indeed, water is life,” said Tapiwa Shaya, a WASH engineer from World Vision.

With clean, reliable water now accessible, Gampakalala Primary School has entered a new chapter, one of hope, dignity and joy for both learners and the wider community.