Water brings life to Fula Primary School

By Leana Padera 

Learners at Fula Primary School are all smiles as they finally say goodbye to the long struggle of accessing clean water. Thanks to support from World Vision Zimbabwe, the school now has a piped water system that benefits not only the learners and teachers but also surrounding community members.

A school that once faced daily hardship due to severe water shortages is now thriving again. Mrs. Virginia Ndlovu, the school head, spoke with visible relief as she described the transformation.

“Children used to spend half their time out of class fetching water, even walking long distances just to bring water for the toilets. This piped water system has truly brought the school back to life,” said Mrs. Ndlovu.

Empowering Learning Through New Opportunities
 

With the new water supply, the school has started several income-generating projects to promote sustainability. They have successfully established three fish ponds where they are farming tilapia fish.

Since the project began, the school made about ZAR3,800 ($220) , which they have reinvested back into the fish farming project for the school’s benefit.

“The children participate in the project feeding the fish, cleaning the ponds, and changing the water. It brings them joy and helps them learn valuable life skills,” Mrs. Ndlovu explained with a smile.

Nutrition Garden / Food Security
 

Mr. Mpofu, the chairperson of the School Development Committee, described the piped water system as “the mother of all the school’s projects.”  He expressed pride in the school’s nutrition garden, which is helping feed all 260 learners.

“We grow vegetables in the nutrition garden, and the produce is used to prepare meals for the learners, it is never a good idea to learn on an empty stomach,”  he explained.

The school currently provides hot meals three times a week, with hopes of offering daily meals so that learners do not attend school on empty stomachs, which negatively affects concentration in class.

“I always look forward to the days when we eat at school. The food helps me learn better,” said a 13-year-old Grade 7 learner

Improving Academic Performance
 

The school has also seen a marked improvement in academic results. Mr. Alukhetwi, the school’s treasurer, shared that the overall pass rate has risen since the installation of the water system.

“In 2022, our pass rate was 15%. In 2023, it jumped to 65%, and in 2024, it was 55% — a slight drop, but still a huge improvement compared to the years before we had access to piped water,” he said proudly.

Promoting Hygiene and Health

Reliable access to clean water has improved hygiene standards at the school. Toilets are now cleaned daily, and learners have constant access to safe drinking water and handwashing facilities.

“These days, the toilets are always clean, and we have water to wash our hands after using them,” said a 12-year-old Grade 6 learner.

Water for All

Mrs. Ndlovu expressed heartfelt gratitude to World Vision Zimbabwe for transforming the school and the wider community. The piped water system now serves over 500 people, including learners, teachers, and nearby households.

“Thank you, World Vision Zimbabwe, for what you have done for our school and our community. It is true what they say — water is life,” she said warmly.