A traditional leader receiving the 'Open Defecation Free' certificate on behalf of his community
A Plan International Ghana Integrated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (IWASH) Project, has seen 5 communities in the Afadzato South District of the Volta Region certified open defecation free (odf).
The project which was started in 2015 focused on inculcating hygienic lifestyles into residents of 10 beneficiary communities with the sole objective of improving sanitation and wellbeing of the residents.
Residents of the 10 communities which previous had a challenge of poor sanitation leading to frequent disease outbreak, were guided to follow a sanitation development roadmap laced with intensive education on good hygiene.
Through a collective effort, 5 out of the 10 communities were able to eradicate open defecation and adopted measures to enhance improve sanitation in their jurisdictions.
The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources has thus certified Have Adzokofe, Liati Agbonyra, Liati Datem, Have Aveyoyoe, and Liati Soba as open defecation free communities.
However, the attainment of open defecation free status has contributed to decrease in the cases of communicable diseases in the beneficiary communities.
“One important benefit derived from this project is that, the introduction of hand washing under running water with soap prevents us from many diseases. It also helps us to save money because we do not go to the hospital as we formerly do,” an opinion leader in Liati Agbonyra illustrated.
That notwithstanding, the other 5 beneficiary communities together with Plan International Ghana are keenly working to eliminate open defecation and all other practices which leads to poor sanitation.
The Regional Interagency Coordinating Committee on Sanitation (RICCS) in charge of verifying communities’ odf status scored the rest 5 communities a 70% latrine coverage during its last visit.
The IWASH Project Cordinator, William Domapielle, indicated his outfit has intensified its sensitization drive in the other communities, educating residents to own household latrines and adopt healthy lifestyles.
He is, however, optimistic the rest 5 communities would attain ODF status in two months adding “Plan International Ghana intends to replicate the IWASH project in other communities to contribute improve on the country’s sanitation.”
The IWASH Project which is being sponsored by Plan International Germany with 1 million Euro grant also saw the construction of 9 girl friendly latrines in basic schools in the beneficiary communities.
5 hand pump water facilities and 5 mechanized boreholes were also provided in 10 communities, with residents trained to manage and maintain the water and sanitary facilities.
