The Programme Manager of the Integrated Community Water Sanitation and Hygiene Improvement (ICOWASH) at Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Tom Laari, has shed light on the extensive efforts of the organisation to improve access to water in the Upper East Region.
Mr. Laari stated that over the past six years, CRS has collaborated closely with district assemblies, the Ghana Education Service (GES), and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to enhance water, sanitation, and hygiene services in the region.
“A lot has been done over the past six years. We have worked with the district assemblies, GES and GHS to provide water, sanitation, and hygiene services so that their health can be improved,” he said.
He was speaking to A1 Radio’s Mark Smith.
Under the ICOWASH project, CRS has installed seven water mechanized systems in healthcare facilities across Talensi and Nabdam districts, constructed thirty-four boreholes, as well as other projects, benefiting over twenty thousand individuals.
He explained that CRS also prioritizes sanitation, hence the construction of eight hundred and eighty-six institutional latrines for schools and healthcare facilities, as well as twenty bathrooms for healthcare facilities.
“We didn’t limit ourselves to water. We also went into sanitation. With respect to sanitation, we have constructed eight hundred and eighty-six institutional latrines for schools and healthcare facilities, twenty bathrooms for healthcare facilities.”
He further noted that CRS has declared ninety-two communities as ‘Open Defecation-Free’ under the ICOWASH initiative alone, marking a critical step towards improving public health and hygiene practices in the region. “Overall, we have declared ninety-two communities as ‘Open Defecation-Free communities,’ all under ICOWASH alone.”
In addition to ICOWASH, CRS, he said, operates another project funded annually by Water Access in the U.S., supporting communities in the Upper East Region since 2007. This project has expanded access to water across Talensi, Nabdam, Bawku North, Bawku South, Kassena-Nankana Municipal, and Kassena-Nankana West districts.
“We also have another project. It is a rolling project. We get funding on a yearly basis from a donor called ‘Water Access,’ now in the U.S., and we have been operating in the Upper East Region since 2007. We have worked in Talensi, we have worked in Nabdam, we have worked in Bawku North and South, we have worked in Kassena-Nankana Municipal and Kassena-Nankana West,” Mr. Laari highlighted.
He clarified that, before commencing any construction, CRS conducts thorough needs assessments in collaboration with local authorities, healthcare facilities, and schools to ensure projects meet community-specific requirements. “Before any construction is done, it is preceded by needs assessment. We send a team to work with district assemblies, healthcare facilities, and schools to determine the needs.”
These efforts underscore the organization’s commitment to sustainable development and community empowerment through improved water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure in the Upper East Region.
Source: A1Radioonline.Com|101.1MHZ|Gifty Eyram Kudiabor|Bolgatanga|
