Ghana: USAID and CHF promote sanitation through fun games

June 23, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Corporative Housing Foundation International (CHF) is facilitating the implementation of projects to improve water accessibility and enhanced sanitation for the urban poor in Ghana. Under the name Ghana Water Access and Sanitation and Hygiene for urban poor (Wash-up), the projects which are underway in Accra and Sekondi-Takoradi are both under the Africa Urban- Poor to Improve Water Supply and Sanitation Programme funded by United States for International Development (USAID).

Organizers said that Wash-up is geared towards improving conditions in slum communities that have very poor access to water supply and sanitation services, due to interlinked infrastructural management, managerial, economic and behavioural constraint, resulting in high incidence of associated diseases such as typhoid fever, malaria and cholera.

As part of the Ghana Wash-up hygiene promotion, fun games are periodically organized in areas like Nima, Ayidiki and their environs all in Accra to sensitize and educate the residents on the need to promote access to water and good sanitation and ensure sound hygienic practices in their vicinities.

This month's fun games took place at Ayidiki during which saw the participation of some football legends from the community all to promote hygiene behavior communication change in the community.

Children who participated were presented with items such as hand washing soaps, biscuits, footballs, crayons and T-shirts as incentives to boost their morale to join in the implementation of the project, while their mother clubs were presented with some crates of minerals, plastic baskets and biscuits.

In an interview with Public Agenda, Mrs. Margaret Owusu-Amoako, the Behavioral Change Communication Specialist of CHF International explained that Wash -up sponsored the project in response to a request by the communities with the aim of promoting access to quality water, sanitation and to ensure proper hygiene in urban poor areas in Ghana.

"This programme is planned to promote hand washing with soap among the community members at critical times, stopping open defecation, proper maintenance of facilities given to them by State authorities and finally to pave way for Land Lords to contact the water board when in need," she said.

She, however, mentioned that although the communities indeed received them, there were a number of challenges they were facing. She said some of the community members erroneously think that CHF and USAID have come to share or put money into their pockets, and that the little help they offer must be paid for this attitude plays down on voluntarism.

She therefore advised all community members of the three areas to join them in the implementation of these projects to maintain a clean environment. She also encouraged the communities to try as much as possible to prevent dirt since it has health implications.

"So far, so good," were the words from Hon. Thomas Akwasi Seffah, the Assembly member of Ayidiki. He was very happy to see such an important project in his community and the impact it has left on his people.

He disclosed that the people have indeed changed their way of living since the formation of this project and that the entire religious leadership of the area, namely Islamic, traditional and Christian, have accepted the idea wholeheartedly.

He mentioned that a 12- member committee has been formed to look at issues concerning water access, sanitation and hygiene and other issues relating to toiletries to ensure peace and unity in Ayidiki.

He thus advised the people of Ayidiki to work hand in hand with CHF and USAID to achieve the aim of developing Ayidiki and its environs.

Source: Cindy Dilys Maade Asamoah, Public Agenda / allAfrica.com, 18 June 2010