St. Francis School – WASH Project

571 children · 22 teachers · 4 toilets

The location: Kunkujang Mariama

Kunkujang Mariama is located in western Gambia, in the Kombo North district. It is known far beyond the region – not only as a centre of education, but above all as a spiritual centre of the country.

The St. Francis parish is home to the “Our Lady of Peace” shrine, Gambia’s most important Catholic pilgrimage site. Several times a year, thousands of people from across the country and neighbouring regions gather here.

Kunkujang Mariama is also regarded as an example of peaceful coexistence between different faiths. Its Christian institutions and schools are used and supported by people of different religions.

Alongside this religious significance, the settlement has changed considerably in recent decades. Around 2,600 people lived here in 1993; by 2013, the population had exceeded 9,600. Based on current trends, today’s population is estimated at approximately 16,500 to 17,500.

A rural village has become a growing, semi-urban settlement. Its proximity to the greater Serekunda area and migration into the West Coast Region continue to drive this development.

This growth also increases the demands on infrastructure and essential services.

This is the setting in which St. Francis School operates.

The Salesians on the ground: structure and local roots

The Salesians of Don Bosco have been active in Kunkujang Mariama since 2018. They established their mission in response to the needs of the local community and have played a major role in local development ever since.

At its centre is the parish of St. Francis of Assisi, which encompasses 13 village communities and is led by the Salesians. They also provide pastoral care at diocesan schools and support everyday educational life across the region.

An important part of their work is the oratory – a youth centre offering space for education, care and community. This is complemented by the Don Bosco Garden, an agricultural training facility that teaches young people practical skills and creates opportunities.

St. Francis School is part of this setting. It does not stand alone, but is embedded in an established network of education, community and social development.

Close cooperation with the Salesians ensures that local projects are not only implemented, but also sustained and developed over the long term.

St. Francis School

St. Francis Lower Basic School is part of an established education system in Kunkujang Mariama. It is connected to other St. Francis schools in the region, ranging from primary to upper secondary education.

The school was founded in 1971 by the Irish priest Jackie Sharpe. Originally conceived as a boarding school, it was designed from the outset to give children from the region access to education. It is named after Francis of Assisi, who represents a simple life, community and closeness to people.

Today, 571 children aged approximately 7 to 16 attend the school, supported by 22 teachers working in shifts.

The school is closely connected to the Christian community in Kunkujang Mariama. Among its pupils, 269 children – 138 boys and 131 girls – are Christian. This is a notable proportion in a country where only around 4% of the population is Christian.

The sanitation situation at the school

Only four toilets are currently available for the 571 children and 22 teachers at St. Francis School.

These facilities are heavily used and no longer meet the requirements of normal school operations. Long waiting times, a lack of privacy and inadequate hygiene conditions are part of everyday life.

Everyone shares the toilets – there are no separate facilities for girls and boys. The cubicles cannot be locked, making privacy and discretion almost impossible.

There is no working flush. Instead, water is drawn manually from a barrel.

Handwashing facilities are also lacking. There are no fixed handwashing points, no running water and no reliable supply of soap.

For girls in particular, this becomes a serious problem at the onset of puberty. At a time when hygiene and a protected space are especially important, the necessary conditions are missing.

Many girls miss lessons during this time – not because they lack motivation, but because basic conditions are not in place.

Using the facilities is difficult for many. Cleaning and maintenance are stretched to their limits, increasing hygiene risks and making it easier for diseases to spread.

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The approach: WASH

WASH stands for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

These three areas are directly connected. New toilets alone will not solve the problem if there are no handwashing facilities, the water supply does not work or the resulting wastewater is not treated appropriately.

That is why the St. Francis School – WASH Project addresses the sanitation situation as a whole.

It is about safe toilets, privacy and separate areas for girls and boys. It is about clean water and functioning handwashing facilities. And it is about a wastewater solution that forms part of the project from the outset.

The result is not a short-term, isolated measure, but infrastructure intended to improve everyday school life for the long term.

The planned measures

From 4 to 26.

An entirely new sanitation infrastructure is planned for pupils, teachers and administrative staff.

The plans include:

• 10 toilets for girls
• 4 toilets for boys
• 6 urinals
• 1 accessible toilet
• 5 toilets for teachers and administrative staff

This will create a total of 26 sanitation facilities.

They will be complemented by 17 handwashing stations, making it possible for handwashing to become a natural part of everyday school life.

Girls and boys will have separate areas. Lockable cubicles will provide privacy and a protected space.

The needs of people with disabilities are also taken into account. The accessible toilet will make the new infrastructure available to a larger part of the school community.

Teachers and administrative staff will have their own sanitation facilities. This will end a situation in which 571 children and 22 teachers depend on the same four existing toilets.

From planning to implementation

Wastewater and sustainability

A sanitation project does not end at the toilet door.

That is why wastewater treatment is considered from the outset.

An Imhoff system is planned for St. Francis School. It is an important component of the future sanitation infrastructure, ensuring that the new facilities not only serve their users but also have a long-term solution for the wastewater they generate.

For us, sustainability means more than building something new.

A solution must suit local conditions, be viable to operate in the long term and be integrated into existing structures.

This is precisely why cooperation with the school, the Salesians of Don Bosco and local people is a central part of the project.

Local implementation

Helping Hands Academy e.V. works closely with those responsible on the ground on this project.

The Salesians of Don Bosco and St. Francis School understand everyday school life, the children’s needs and local conditions. There are also established local structures that extend beyond the construction phase itself.

These local roots are crucial to us.

We do not want to create infrastructure that is left to fend for itself after handover. Planning, implementation, use and long-term responsibility must be considered together.

Helping Hands Academy e.V. supports the project, connecting assistance from Germany with existing structures in Gambia.

The project is therefore not imposed from outside, but developed together with the people who will use and sustain the facilities every day.

The impact

The St. Francis School – WASH Project creates far more than additional toilets.

For the first time, 571 children and 22 teachers will have sanitation conditions that are much better suited to the size of the school.

Separate areas provide greater privacy and safety.

Lockable cubicles give children, and older girls in particular, the protected space that is currently missing.

The 17 handwashing stations create the conditions for regular handwashing to become an integral part of everyday school life.

An accessible toilet improves accessibility.

Separate facilities for teachers and administrative staff relieve pressure on the entire sanitation infrastructure.

And the planned wastewater treatment ensures that consideration is given not only to construction, but also to long-term use.

Safe and hygienic sanitation facilities can make a crucial difference, particularly for girls. A lack of privacy and basic hygiene conditions during puberty can directly affect regular school attendance.

Good sanitation is therefore not just a matter of hygiene.

It is about

Health, dignity, education and equal opportunities.

From 4 to 26.

A relatively simple number – but behind it lies a fundamental improvement in everyday school life for hundreds of children.

Support

This project can only be implemented if people are willing to help us make it possible.

Support does not always have to be large.

10 euros are quickly spent. Here, they help provide a measure of dignity.

Your donation helps us make safe toilets, functioning handwashing facilities and a sustainable sanitation solution possible for 571 children and 22 teachers.

Every contribution brings us one step closer to implementation.

And even those who cannot donate can help: tell others about our project, share our work or draw attention to Helping Hands Academy e.V.

Visibility creates new opportunities.

Together, we can provide support that not only reaches people, but lasts.