We work with a systems thinking mindset, considering water, infrastructure, and community as interconnected parts of a whole.

Phases of our Bolivia Pilot Project

  • We focus on understanding local, systemic challenges in water infrastructure, community leadership, and school engagement by consulting directly with the school community and conducting assessments.

    Assessment = understanding the situation

    Community learning / education = building awareness and knowledge

    Capacity building = developing skills, leadership, and structures

  • In this Phase we work with school communities, together with local and international partners, to plan and design integrated, sustainable water systems adapted  to the specific needs and resources of each school.

    Collaborative planning and design = co-creating solutions with the community

    Contextual adaptation = tailoring systems to the school’s needs and resources

    Technical planning = translating ideas into feasible, sustainable system designs

    Integrated water management = combining water supply, treatment, reuse, and conservation into one coherent system


  • In collaboration with local and international partners, we build and install water infrastructure and its supporting systems, ensuring functionality, safety, and adaptation to the school environment.

    Implementation = constructing and installing water systems

    Operationalization = ensuring systems are functional, usable, and maintained over time


  • We work with school communities and local partners to monitor and evaluate the performance and impact of the systems established throughout the project, including water and energy systems, as well as organizational structures such as school and student committees. This includes tracking functionality, usage, maintenance, and community engagement, as well as identifying areas for improvement. Insights from this phase inform ongoing support and strengthen future projects.

    Monitoring = tracking performance and use of technical and organizational systems

    Evaluation = assessing impact on infrastructure, community, and leadership

    Learning = improving systems and informing future work

Activities and Learning Approaches: 

  1. Workshops (structured learning)

  2. Questionnaires (reflection and awareness)

  3. Committee formation (organizational learning and leadership development)

  4. Technical assessment (shared understanding of infrastructure)

  5. Peer-to-peer learning (students, parents, staff sharing knowledge)

  6. Learning by doing (e.g., participating in assessments and project activities)

  7. Collective reflection on local problems and solutions

  8. Building a shared understanding of water and hygiene systems

Location: Oruro, Bolivia

Our inaugural pilot initiative is taking place in the city of Oruro, Bolivia. We are collaborating with the school Unidad Educativa Villa Challacollo, a small school in the outskirts of the city. The goal is to improve and expand the existing WASH infrastructure, which is currently operating beyond its capacity.

Local Partner: Team Uru Uru

Lic. Gustavo Blanco, founder of Team Uru Uru Project, our local partner.

Water Means Learning conducted in March 2026 an on-site technical evaluation, referencing indicators from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP). In this phase, Water Means Learning delivered on-site workshops on WASH and Integrated Water Management to students in 11th and 12th grades, school staff, and parents. Participants also completed questionnaires to assess the status of WASH infrastructure at their school.

Students participate in an integrated water management workshop. Poster courtesy of the project wasser^plus OWL.

We supported the school community in forming a committee to lead the water project: This committee helped organize the school community and ensured local ownership of the project throughout its implementation and into the future.

The committee plays a key role, as the teachers and students are the primary users of the infrastructure and can actively learn throughout each stage of the process.

School staff and parents participate in a WASH workshop.

Current WASH Infrastructure

The school has six toilets connected to a basic septic tank system, which has exceeded its capacity. According to the school principal, the facilities were originally designed for approximately 70 students, but there are now over 280 students. The septic tank is emptied every 2–3 months.

During the rainy season, additional challenges arise. The school is built on a former lakebed, resulting in a high water table that often leads to inundation in the sanitation facilities.

The toilets are frequently out of service due to a lack of water. In WASH questionnaires conducted by Water Means Learning, students report that they often avoid using the bathrooms due to bad smell, poor cleanliness, and a lack of safety. They also note that they do not feel secure when using the facilities. In addition, the toilets are not clearly labeled as separate facilities for boys and girls.

Toilets and Septic Tank

Handwashing station located in front of the toilets, currently not operational.

There is a handwashing station in front of the toilets, but it is not in use because the school only has running water for about 2–3 hours per day. The water is supplied through the municipal piped water system. There are only two water faucets located on the perimeter of the toilet area, both with very low water flow.

During the limited water supply period, school staff collect water with buckets and fill three large storage containers adapted for use as handwashing stations. The school does not apply any additional treatment to the water stored in these containers. Students also reported that soap is rarely available at the handwashing stations.

Current handwashing station: a large water storage container used to collect and store water from the tap.