Background
Global Communities Ghana in partnership with Goldfields Ghana (a leading mining company) are sustainably improving the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) conditions and behaviors of mining and cocoa-farming communities in the Western Region. The partnership was established in 2020 and has since made impact in the lives and livelihoods with Global Communities' unique approach in addressing WASH challenges.
Humanitarian Response
Mining and cocoa-farming communities such as Subri, Wangara Krom and Huniso have had their WASH conditions significantly improved due to the provision of sustainable water systems, sanitation facilities backed by social and behavior change education, through this partnership.
Small town water systems constructed by Global Communities Ghana involve the mechanization of high yielding borehole water sources; pumped to a 12-meter-high-level water storage tank with a capacity of 100,000 liters situated at the highest point in the community allowing water distribution under gravity; distributed to public water standpipes situated at strategic locations within the community.
Our sanitation facilities are constructed with interlocking blocks with Digni-Loo (durable and hygienic plastic latrine) installed in them.
Jobs are created through our interventions as local artisans for these communities are sourced to assist in the construction of these facilities. The WSMTs, drawn from the community, are trained to sustainably manage these facilities. One of their responsibilities is the sale of water from the standpipes. Proceeds from the sales are used for maintenance and other community development projects.
Our Approach
The Goal of this Partnership is to provide and sustain the WASH needs of mining communities of the Tarkwa Goldfields while strengthening and promoting partnerships with private sector. Global Communities understands that effective solutions are based on:
- Needs-based research,
- Community mobilization and inclusion,
- Effective behavior change communication,
- Sustainable structures,
- Consistent monitoring and evaluation of activities, and
- Focusing on women’s empowerment.
The continuous application of these approaches lead to WASH interventions.
2+
50,000-liter capacity storage tanks constructed for the people of Subri and Huniso
10+
Standpipes sited at vantage fetching points of Huniso and Subri for communal use
200+
Digni-Loos installed for the people of Huniso and Subri to promote the adoption of improved household sanitation facilities
OUR APPROACH
What people say about our approach
What we realized was that here was an NGO that had real expertise in providing sanitation and hygiene. They also had expertise in encouraging behavior change in the people, so we decided to contact them and explore a partnership. What we realized is that the expertise we didn’t have, Global Communities had it.
Andrew Quayson
Chairman of Unilever Ghana Foundation