Princess Royal Primary School – Safe Water and Sanitation for Students in Awach, Uganda
Princess Royal Primary School (Awach, Gulu District)
Project Snapshot
Location: Princess Royal Primary School, Awach, Gulu District, Uganda
Users Served: 501 pupils at Princess Royal Primary School (221 boys and 280 girls), plus school staff
Intervention: Drilled borehole well with hand pump, concrete apron, and upgraded stainless-steel riser pipes; constructed environmentally sustainable school toilet
Depth Drilled: 56 meters
Yield:
Date Drilled:
Status: Completed
Princess Royal Primary School Before Water & Sanitation Services
Princess Royal Primary School in Awach, Uganda, serves more than 500 students from the surrounding community. Before Drop in the Bucket’s intervention, the school did not have an on-site source of clean, safe water for students, and access to adequate sanitation facilities was limited. These gaps made it difficult to maintain proper hygiene and created barriers to attendance, especially for girls.
Without reliable water for drinking and handwashing, students were more vulnerable to waterborne illness and missed more school days. In addition, the lack of an improved toilet made daily school life uncomfortable and less healthy for the entire student body.
What We Built at Princess Royal Primary School
Drop in the Bucket drilled a borehole well on the school grounds and installed a standard hand pump with a reinforced concrete apron and upgraded stainless-steel riser pipes to provide reliable access to safe water. In addition, we constructed an environmentally sustainable toilet facility to improve sanitation and hygiene for students and staff.
The combined water and sanitation improvements were designed to support better health outcomes, strengthen hygiene practices, and reduce water-related interruptions to learning.
Princess Royal Primary School Now
With clean water now available on site, students can drink safely and wash their hands throughout the school day. The new toilet facility provides a dignified, hygienic space for students, helping reduce illness and improve overall comfort at school.
Improved water and sanitation infrastructure also supports better attendance, especially for girls, and allows teachers to focus on learning rather than managing water or sanitation challenges.
Use & Upkeep
School leadership and the local community oversee the daily use and cleanliness of the borehole and toilet facilities. Routine maintenance and first-line repairs are managed locally, with additional technical support coordinated through sub-county and district authorities when required.
Notes
Type: Borehole well with hand pump (school); school toilet (environmentally sustainable)
Primary users: 501 pupils at Princess Royal Primary School, Awach, Gulu District, Uganda
Hygiene: Keep the apron clear and drained; encourage handwashing at appropriate points; maintain toilet cleanliness
Related: See water facts for why clean water and improved sanitation are essential for learning and health.
Princess Royal Primary School’s sanitation situation improved significantly when Drop in the Bucket partnered to construct an environmentally sustainable toilet facility. This project not only increased dignity and comfort for students, but also supported better hygiene practices that are essential for reducing disease and keeping children in school.
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