GHANA
50% versus 15% 2019 WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene
Rural versus urban population with open defecation or unimproved latrines
The partnership’s work in Ghana aims to boost strides the government has made since 2000 as they reached an estimated 80% of the population with clean water. Despite this gain, only 18 percent of households can access a toilet. Open defecation is common, particularly in rural areas, creating a critical health and environmental hazard that threatens the success of Ghana’s progress.
31% versus 8% 2016 UNICEF Report
Percentage of school-aged children in secondary schools without sanitation versus those in primary schools
Without safely managed toilets, school children either use substandard single-sex facilities, which are difficult to clean and maintain, or resort to open defecation. Substandard toilets can cause shame and discomfort for students, especially girls, detracting from a positive learning environment. The burden is greater in primary schools—a critical time when healthy hygiene habits such as handwashing are formed—when compared to secondary schools.
26% 2016 UNICEF Report
Healthcare facilities in Ghana that have limited or no water services on premise
Healthcare facilities are a place to be treated for disease and receive quality care, not to become sick. Yet more than a quarter of Ghana’s health centers have limited or no water services on premise, putting both patients and health workers at risk. Safe water is crucial for clinics to provide services such as safe childbirth, prevent infections, and reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
1.28% 2016 UNICEF Report
Percentage of Ghana’s GDP allocated to WASH (US$35.09 million equivalent)
Government budget allocations for WASH services are already low nationally, but local governments struggle even more to obtain their fair share of resources to implement WASH programming.
Ghana
This interactive map illustrates the key results of the RI-USAID Partnership in Ghana, after 10 years of programming. Rotarians from 35 clubs across the country, in partnership with the USAID Mission, Global Communities, the government of Ghana, and the support of Rotary District 6380 (Michigan, USA, and Ontario, Canada), are working with local communities to improve sustainable access to clean water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene education.
98
Communities with gained access to safely managed drinking water services
36
Communities with Community Led Total Sanitation
123
Schools with gained access to basic sanitation facilities
03
Schools with gained access to basic drinking water services
04
Healthcare facilities with gained access to basic sanitation facilities
06
Healthcare facilities with gained access to basic drinking water services
EASTERN REGION
Of the more than 25 million people in Ghana, 2.6 million* live in the Eastern Region. This area has 26 districts and is bordered on the east by Lake Volta. Rotarians and USAID partner to support local communities, schools, and health clinics in getting access to clean water and sanitation, as well as adopting better hygiene habits. They also collaborate with national and local governments to strengthen the governance of WASH services so that they will last well into the future.
14
Communities with gained access to improved drinking water services
20
Schools with gained access to improved sanitation facilities
02
Schools with gained access to improved drinking water services
CENTRAL REGION
Of the more than 25 million people in Ghana, 2.2 million* live in the Central Region, on the country’s coast. This is the second most densely populated and one of the fastest growing areas of the country. While more than three-fourths of the population in this region has access to clean water, only 13 percent of households in some districts have access to improved sanitation facilities.
14
Communities with gained access to improved drinking water services
31
Schools with gained access to improved sanitation facilities
06
Schools with gained access to improved drinking water services
GREATER ACCRA
Of the more than 25 million people in Ghana, at least 4 million live in the Greater Accra Region, the most densely populated and one of the fastest growing in the country. Yet only 62 percent of residents of this region have access to clean water, and only 13-15 percent use improved, unshared sanitation facilities.
19
Communities with gained access to improved drinking water services
21
Schools with gained access to improved sanitation facilities
03
Healthcare facilities with gained access to improved sanitation facilities
NORTHERN REGION
Of the more than 25 million people in Ghana, 2.5 million* live in the Northern Region, the country’s largest in area. This region has 26 districts and is much drier than the southern part of the country. The Rotary-USAID Partnership brings clean water and sanitation to two districts in this region: Karaga, population 77,706, which had access to improved toilet facilities in only 16 percent of households before the project’s start; and Bole, population 61,593, which had access in only 1 percent of households.
21
Communities with gained access to improved drinking water services
19
Schools with gained access to improved sanitation facilities
18
Communities with Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS)
Savannah Region
Oti Region
Of the more than 25 million people in Ghana, 2.1 million* live on the eastern edge, in the Volta Region. This area has 25 districts and is bordered on the west by Lake Volta. One district benefitting from the Rotary-USAID Partnership, Nkwanta South, with a population of 117,878, had access to improved toilet facilities in only 1 percent of households before the project’s start.
14
Communities with gained access to improved drinking water services
18
Schools with gained access to improved sanitation facilities
08
Communities with Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS)
Western Region
Of the more than 25 million people in Ghana, 2.4 million* live in the coastal area known as the Western Region. This area has 25 districts and is bordered on the west by the Ivory Coast. The Rotary-USAID Partnership brings clean water and sanitation to two districts in this region: Amenfi Central, population 69,014, which had access to improved toilet facilities in only 1 percent of households before the project’s start; and Amenfi East, population 83,478, which had access in only 13 percent of households.
21
Communities with gained access to improved drinking water services
19
Schools with gained access to improved sanitation facilities
18
Communities with Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS)
Initially, the partnership focused on building infrastructure and promoting accountability with local governments and in communities
13
Districtassemblies
36
Rotary clubsengaged
Building off our work and lessons learned during the first program, we integrated our approaches for a more complementary partnership. Our advocates partnered closely with communities and local governments, with a focus on increasing accountability for financial support, maintenance and sustainability of the systems installed.
We first set the goal of building and sustainably managing safe water and sanitation for communities, schools, and health centers.
From 2009 to 2012, our work in Ghana focused on infrastructural efforts: creating, training, and building community WASH management systems. efforts helped allocate funding for maintenance and repairs, improve hygiene habits, and promote sustainability of the WASH systems.
01
Expanding our reach
To achieve our goals in Ghana, we expanded our reach with the support of 36 Rotary clubs, the USAID Mission in Ghana, Global Communities (GC; USAID’s implementation partner), and the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) of Ghana. Each actor added value to the partnership by bringing needed skills and expertise.
02
Building capacity
of end-users
USAID/GC worked with the district education authorities to build the capacity of teachers, school children, and community members for effective implementation of school health programs and hygiene programs. Rotarians monitored construction, while USAID/GC and CWSA helped local communities conduct their own analysis of open defecation. Once triggered, communities built their own toilets, with the goal of becoming open defecation-free.
03
Advocating on the ground
Once safely managed water systems were in place, communities needed additional support managing water and sanitation services. Applying lessons learned from the first phase of the program, we boosted the advocacy role of Rotarians, who liaised between district assemblies, school authorities, and WASH end-users, promoting sustainability and self-reliance for all stakeholders in 7 of the 13 districts.
04
Stakeholder accountability and engagement
Rotary advocates aimed to facilitate accountability at all levels. They worked with communities to develop scorecards to improve transparency and performance with WASH management committees. Concurrently, they promoted and facilitated dialogue between communities and district governments about gaps in the management and support for safe and affordable WASH services, informed by a scorecard developed by district stakeholders. As a trusted partner of the District Assembly, Rotarian volunteers advocated for the prioritization and proper budget allocation to support the monitoring and management of rural WASH services.
IMPACT
IN NUMBERS
121
Schools with improved water supply, sanitation infrastructure, and hygiene behaviors (2009-2021).
11
Healthcare facilities gaining access to basic drinking water services
245
Communities gaining access to basic drinking water services
21
Communities verified as open defecation free
2%
Average increase in financing released by Municipal District Assemblies to support monitoring of WASH services in 7 target districts
4
Municipal District Assemblies allocating at least 6% of total internally generated funds mobilized to support WASH services out of 7 target districts
