Examples of our work in Ghana

Water for the next generation

Imagine having a small, muddy pool as your only source of water. Every day you have to go there and wait for hours in a long queue. Wait as water slowly seeps through the mud. And wait longer until enough water has collected to fill a basin. Then lug your heavy load home.

It sounds tough enough on the best of days. But imagine there's no let up when you find out you're pregnant. As you grow month by month and your energy dwindles, you still have to go to the muddy pool every day. And carry the water home every day until you give birth.

When the baby is ready for its first drink of water, there's no alternative but to give him or her water from the muddy pool. Water that could host any number of lethal diseases.

Apoyanga Nash from the remote village of Asamponbisi in the Upper East Region of northern Ghana doesn't have to imagine this. It was a daily reality for her for years, and throughout her first four pregnancies.

Now pregnant for the fifth time, forty year old Apoyanga explains the difference in her life now that she has access to safe water from a hand dug well that WaterAid's partner Rural Aid helped her community to construct three years ago:

"I have lived here for around 17 or 18 years, since just before my first child was born. Before the pump was here, we used to go to the stream to fetch water. There wasn't enough water there. In the dry season we had to queue. The water didn't flow; we had to dig a scoop hole and wait for the water to seep up.

"When the children drank that water, they used to get diarrhoea and stomach pains. We didn't understand exactly what was wrong but we knew it was because of the water.

"In the time that I have lived here in Asampombisi, our lives have improved now that we have clean water. Now our health is changing and improving. We don't suffer from diarrhoea and stomach pains any more. Now I don't spend much time collecting water, I have time to do other work around my home, like washing and cooking and I have enough time to weave baskets.

"I am happy that my new baby will have good water and not suffer the way the other children did. I hope that clean water will help my children to develop, to go to school and finish their education"

The need for water

Napoga Gurigo comes to this muddy water hole to collect water for her family.

Credit: WaterAid / Caroline Penn

Twelve year old Napoga Gurigo comes to this muddy water hole every day at 5.30am to collect water for her family. The water is dirty and unsafe to drink. Animals drink at the same water hole.

It takes Napoga at least six hours a day to collect water, as she has to sit and wait for water to seep through the ground and the mud to settle before she can collect it in her gourd.

Her friend Adjoa Yinia-Ati spoke about the benefits of getting clean water supply, saying it would free women from the daily burden of collecting water and give them time to do other things like work or go to school.

Learning for life

Chief Oturoku Danqwa learning about good hygiene practices.

Credit: WaterAid / Caroline Penn

Chief Oturoku Danqwa and his five-year-old daughter Sarah are among the villagers from Otroka learning about good hygiene practices.

The sessions are run by two health volunteers, Awuku Larbi and Bahh Solomon, who discuss the books with the villagers and explain about good and bad hygiene.

The villagers learn about the dangers of unsafe water and sanitation and discuss many subjects including diseases such as guinea worm and the disposal of waste water.

WaterAid teaches communities about good hygiene practices to prevent spreading germs which cause water and sanitation related diseases.

The methods used are all based upon the communities' existing knowledge and practices and include practical demonstrations, puppet shows, hygiene promotion tiles, picture books, games, plays, posters and videos.