Ghana

Brief

Maintenance Approaches to Improve the Sustainability of Rural Water Supplies

Numerous studies have sought to understand the factors that most influence the sustainability of rural water supply services. This understanding has led to the development of maintenance approaches, both reactive and preventive, that seek to improve functionality rates and maintain reliable continuity of rural community water services. This document reviews literature about the factors influencing the sustainability of rural water services, and the emerging maintenance approaches seeking to address these factors and improve service reliability.

Blog

Lessons Learned from the 10-Year Rotary–USAID Partnership

Since 2009, a partnership between the Rotary and USAID has combined the local community leadership of Rotarian volunteers with the Agency’s technical expertise. Throughout, the focus of the program has been on accomplishing three goals: improving sanitation and hygiene in schools and health facilities; increasing community access to safe drinking water; and advocating for ample government financing of WASH—that is, water, sanitation, and hygiene.

Activity

Breakthrough ACTION

Firmly grounded in proven practices, Breakthrough ACTION works in partnership with governments, civil society, and communities around the world to implement creative and sustainable SBC programming, nurture SBC champions, mainstream new techniques and technologies, and advocate strategic and sustained investment in SBC.

Activity

Resiliency in Northern Ghana

The USAID Resiliency in Northern Ghana (RING) project seeks to strengthen this structure in one of Ghana’s poorest regions by partnering directly with the regional and local governments to support their ability to fulfill their mandates to the communities they represent -- and improve the social and economic well-being of those communities (especially women) in the process.

Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet: West Africa Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Program (WA-WASH)

The West Africa Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Program (WA-WASH), implemented from 2011 to 2017, introduced innovative and low-cost water and sanitation technologies, and promoted appropriate hygienic behaviors at the community level. The program also developed practical models of sustainable WASH service delivery; and increases the capacity of national and regional institutions to replicate these approaches and models throughout the region.

Fact Sheet

USEPA West Africa Drinking Water Laboratory Capacity Program

With increasing rates of population growth and urbanization, infrastructure in African cities, such as water delivery systems and wastewater systems, can be overwhelmed. Poor governance, chronic underinvestment and a lack of skilled staff make it difficult for urban water utilities to provide safe drinking water to consumers. However, experience suggests that strong leadership and institutions, coupled with preventative risk-based management approaches and sustained capacity-building efforts, are critical to improving the quality of drinking water services in African cities.

Summary

Study of Targeted Subsidies Within ODF Communities in Ghana

Globally, CLTS has been widely embraced as a strategy to end open defecation, and dozens of countries have incorporated the approach as part of national policy for rural sanitation. Though the “total sanitation” focus of CLTS is laudable, there is reason to believe that the poor and more vulnerable segments of the community do not benefit equally, as they are more likely to construct lower-quality toilets and revert to open defecation.