WaterAid Ghana is part of a global non-governmental organisation working to end the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) crisis for everyone, everywhere.
Our history
Since 1985, WaterAid Ghana has supported the Government in its journey towards universal access to safe and sustainable WASH. Despite important progress, major barriers – including lack of political will, inadequate budgeting, poor planning, inadequate monitoring and poor sustainability – have hampered Ghana’s progress towards universal WASH coverage, and millions are still left without vital services.
In our last strategy period (2016–21), we reached more than 3.7 million people in Ghana with safe and sustainable WASH by working directly with communities and advocating prioritisation of water and sanitation in Government policies and planning. In our 2023–28 strategy, we are aiming even higher.
Sustainable WASH in schools and communities
At Mary's school in Bongo District, we built climate-resilient WASH systems, including a solar-powered water supply pumped from a nearby borehole, providing the school, the nearby health centre and the local community with clean water.
Learn more about what we do
Our vision
Our vision is of a world where everyone, everywhere has sustainable and safe WASH.
A world where:
- Everyone, everywhere has their human right to WASH protected, facilitated and fulfilled
- Every woman and girl can improve their productivity, realise their right to a good education and live free from the risk of gender-based violence
- High rates of maternal and infant mortality caused by poor WASH are a distant memory
- No one is forced to compromise their dignity and safety by defecating in the open
- No community is held back by an endless cycle of sickness, disease and poverty caused by a lack of WASH
- More people can face the future confident that the changing climate will not deprive them of the quality and quantity of water they need
Our mission
Our mission is to transform lives through sustainable and safe WASH.
Our values
Our values define our culture and unite us across the many countries in which we work. They are at the heart of who we are, what we do and how we do it.
Respect: We treat everyone with dignity and respect, and champion the rights and contributions of all to achieve a fairer world.
Accountability: We are accountable to those we work with and to those who support us.
Courage: We are bold and inspiring in our actions and words, and uncompromising in our determination to pursue our mission.
Collaboration: We work with others to maximise our impact, embracing diversity and difference in the pursuit of common goals.
Innovation: We are creative and agile, always learning and prepared to take risks to accelerate change.
Integrity: We act with honesty and conviction, and our actions are consistent with openness, equality and human rights.
There is still a long way to go
Gifty, 16, has to carry water through the bush to her school.
"By the time we get back from collecting water, the lesson has finished, so we have to catch up with our friends. We take it in turns to collect water so none of us misses too much school."
Our strategy
Our 2023–2028
By 2028, our ambition is to reach one million people directly with sustainable, safe and inclusive WASH services and hygiene behaviours in ten districts of the Upper West and Upper East Regions, with a special focus on Bongo District. Working collaboratively with the Government of Ghana and other key partners in development, media, academia, the private sector and civil society, we will advocate improved access to basic WASH services for a further four million people.