INTEGRATION OF WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE EDUCATION IN VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

Project Partner:  Dawn of A New Age (DONA) 

Location:           Ashanti Region (Southern Ghana). 

Title: Maximization of health benefits through integration of water, sanitation, and hygiene education interventions in vulnerable communities 

Project Fund Code:           GHDONA2025 

Project Timeline:               April 2024 – March 2025 

Expected # Beneficiaries: Over 90,000 

Target beneficiaries:         Children, Women, people with special needs and the elderly 

Donation Goal :                  $283,400 

Project Details 

The development objective of the project is to maximize health benefits through integration of water, sanitation, and hygiene education interventions. This will be done by sensitizing the beneficiary communities, health centres, and schools in Ashanti Region by building their capacities towards the achievement of sustainable Community Ownership and Management (COM) for facilities and promotion of community led total sanitation (CLTS) promote handwashing for project beneficiaries.  

Project activities 

  • Construction of  25 deep wells with overhead tanks. 
  • 16 for schools 
  • 04 for Health Centers 
  • 05 for communities 
  • Water & Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) Education 
  • Monitoring and Evaluation activities. 

Why WASH in Ashanti Region (Ghana) 

Illegal mining in the Ashanti Region has caused water pollution, particularly in streams, rivers, and other open water sources. Pollution of water sources can have serious public health implications  in communities that rely on these sources for drinking, cooking, and bathing and even livestock. Exposure to toxic chemicals can lead to a range of health problems, including skin rashes, respiratory issues, and even neurological damage. Additionally, villages lack functional health facilities due to lack of clean water. In some instances, patients are required to carry their own water to the health center even when they walk long distances to service centers. Most communities have unqualified teachers in primary schools, as trained teachers are reluctant to work in these areas due to inadequate amenities such as water.  


WHY WE PARTNER WITH DONA 

 DONA is a registered  non-governmental organization based in Kumasi, Ghana. The group started in 2000 and conducted environmental awareness programs regarding environmental issues in communities in the Ashanti Region. DONA also offers capacity-building programmes for NGOs, community-based cooperatives, and a host of individuals, on business management and on the development of biodiversity conservation, and utilization of request bases. They have proven their ability to execute water and WASH projects and have established their capacity to take on more projects work each year.