ACDEP

Akuapem Community Development Programme (ACDEP)

Location and Districts Covered
ACDEP was one of the first NGO's to become a WaterAid partner in Ghana. The organisation is located at Dawu, near Akropong in the Akuapem Mountains in the Akuapem South District of the Eastern Region. The organisation operates in five districts: namely, Akuapem South, Yilo Krobo, Suhum Kraboa Coaltar, West Akim, and Akuapem North.

History
ACDEP was formed in 1985 as a result of the acute water problem and water related diseases that prevailed in the Akuapem area and the Presbyterian Training College at the time. It was created to find a solution to these problems after a Presbyterian missionary visited the UK to present the water problem and the concerns of the people.

Though the initial focus was on water provision to needy communities and institutions, the organisation later added sanitation and hygiene promotion to ensure enhanced health benefits for the beneficiary communities.

ACDEP, at the initial stages of its activities, adopted the supply driven approach to water and sanitation delivery. However, it shifted toward the demand driven approach in the 1990s. This approach is generally believed to be effective in terms of sustainability.

One organisation whose support has contributed tremendously to the development, growth and expansion of ACDEP is WaterAid. WaterAid started supporting ACDEP shortly after its creation in the 80s and continues to provide it with the greatest support.

Activities
The main activities of ACDEP are Water provision, sanitation improvement, hygiene promotion, advocacy, capacity building and agro forestry. ACDEP supports the provision of hand-dug wells and boreholes and household Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) latrines in terms of its water and sanitation services to the rural communities it serves. They train local artisans in well excavation and latrine construction. They also build the capacity of local institutions in hygiene promotion and water facility management.

Achievements
At the moment, ACDEP has supported the construction of more than 600 hand dug wells and boreholes. In a majority of communities where ACDEP provides water facilities, they also promote and support the construction and use of household latrines as a safer sanitation option than open defecation. They also integrate hygiene promotion in order to assist the communities to maximize the health benefits they derive from the water and sanitation facilities. They have also trained many hygiene promoters to facilitate hygiene promotion in communities.

ACDEP has also succeeded in obtaining tremendous support from the Royal Netherlands Embassy and the British High Commission, SGS, the District Assemblies.

For further information on ACDEP, contact:

The Programme Manager
Box 130
Akropong-Akuapem
ER- Ghana

Tel: (233 -81) 24453, (233-20) 8151113
Email: ackdep@yahoo.com