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CHF Ghana- Improving Access to Sanitation in Urban Schools

Published 03/21/2011 by Global Communities

CHF Ghana- Improving Access to Sanitation in Urban Schools
By Augustine Adams, CHF Ghana
PHOTO: Hand-washing stations provide a sanitary place to wash up.
A public school latrine constructed under CHF’s WASH-UP program in Ghana was inaugurated and handed over to the Accra New Town Cluster of Schools this month. The United States Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Donald Teitelbaum, as well as the Deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Dr. Hanna Bissiw, were in attendance.
The latrine, containing 20 seats, is disability and female-friendly and contains urinals, hand-washing sinks and rain water harvesting tanks that were designed to respond to weaknesses in the water and sanitation situation in public schools within the five project communities.
Serving almost 4,000 students and 80 teachers, the facility will greatly improve sanitary conditions in the schools, as well as reduce student travel time to and from public latrines. In prepared remarks, the Ambassador asked current students to recognize the importance of maintaining the facilities for future pupils. He also stressed that, to attain their dreams, pupils needed to remain healthy by practicing good hygiene.
Other schools and community based organizations such as the Ayidiki Night Market Women’s Association, the Ayidiki Water and Sanitation Board, and representatives of the Traditional Authorities were in attendance to offer their support for the program.