ACCRA, GHANA – Plan International, in partnership with The Coca-Cola Foundation, launched the Integrated Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) for Communities in Ghana that will provide access to clean water and improved hygiene for 18,000 people. The project aims to implement WASH-related activities in communities in the Eastern, Central, and Volta regions of Ghana, significantly improving community health. The project will also promote female leadership, in partnership with men and boys in the community.
“For many communities in Ghana, water sources are usually far from homes, and typically it falls on women and girls to spend much of their time and energy fetching water,” said Solomon TesfaMariam, Country Director for Plan International Ghana. “Access to safe water and sanitation are human rights. This project will help communities throughout the country to obtain the clean water they need to stay healthy and manage water systems for sustainable community access. I’m excited to see the positive impact and changes to come.”
Project activities will include the construction and rehabilitation of 24 community water points. The project will form and train local Water and Sanitation Management Teams (WSMTs) and train engineers for the long-term management of the water points. Both women and men will serve as WSMT members and as engineers. The project will also introduce an SMS platform for real-time reporting of water point functionality. In addition, the project will provide 54 handwashing stations in schools in the Eastern, Central, and Volta regions. Upon completion, the project will have reached 18,000 people directly and 22,000 people indirectly.
The year-long project is funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation’s Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN), which aims to improve access to safe water for six million people in Africa by 2020. In addition, RAIN aims to create employment opportunities for women, youth, and families through water project activities as well as improve children’s learning environment through WASH in schools.
“We know that water access is vital to the health and wellbeing of communities,” said Helen Smith Price, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation. “The Coca-Cola Foundation is pleased to provide funding to increase access to safe drinking water for communities in Ghana.”
Launching the project on behalf of Okere Akuapem District, the District Chief Executive, Daniel Kenneth, praised Coca-Cola and Plan International for bringing the project to his constituency. He noted the impact of Plan projects in other communities in the district and said, “Some of my communities have changed completely.” Inspired by the project, Mr. Kenneth announced that local government will be funding additional boreholes in the district. He explained, “With partners like The Coca-Cola Foundation and Plan International, we are changing lives.”
About Plan International
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan believes in the power and potential of every child. Working together with children, young people, supporters, and partners, Plan strives for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.
For more information, please visit PlanUSA.org.
About The Coca-Cola Foundation:
The Coca-Cola Foundation is the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company. Since its inception in 1984, the Foundation has awarded more than $1 billion in grants to support sustainable community initiatives around the world. For more information about The Coca-Cola Foundation, please visit www.coca-colacompany.com/our-company/the-coca-cola-foundation
About The Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN)
Launched by The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation (TCCAF) in 2010 in response to the severe health challenges faced by millions of Africans living without access to safe drinking water, RAIN aims to improve access to safe water for six million people in Africa by 2020. In addition, RAIN aims to create employment opportunities for women, youth and families through water project activities as well as improve children’s learning environment through WASH in schools. RAIN is backed by an 11-year, $65 million-dollar commitment by TCCAF and made possible through the support of more than 140 partners.
