Asutifi North District Level Learning Alliance Platform Webinar on Addressing Water contamination
On 27th September 2020, IRC Ghana in partnership with Asutifi North District Assembly under the District Learning Alliance Platform convened a webinar to discuss the potential water treatment strategies for adoption by service providers to improve water safety in the district. The webinar brought together participants from government, CNHF partners, private sector, CSOs, NGOs and the media.
The webinar, on the theme “Addressing Water Contamination in Asutifi North- Action Plan and Way Forward”, was also used to explore sustainable options for water treatment; exchange lessons and experiences on water treatment options and document possible challenges associated with the uptake of the various treatment options.
Aquaya Institute since 2018 has been conducting water quality testing and has found E. coli contamination in some water systems in the district. Participants applauded Aquaya Institute for bringing up the water quality issues and raising awareness in the district about integrating the lessons into a broader water safety management approach to strengthen the capacity for testing, oversight and funding.
The webinar concluded with the following practical recommendation to ensure sustainable water safety management in the district.
- Aquatabs are the most favourable short-term solution for disinfection of water sources and Aquaya Institute can assist in setting up supply chains for household chlorination or bucket dosing. However, medium to long term sustainable water treatment options should be explored.
- Launch a community campaign by leveraging the ANAM network and chiefs to promote water safety and potential treatment options.
- Develop a sustainable model that provides financial support for water safety management actions
- Undertake further consultations with service providers especially CWSA to document best practices and good cases around water safety management for replication
IRC Ghana– 2020 Water and Sanitation Service Monitoring in Asutifi North
In September 2020, IRC Ghana in collaboration with the Asutifi North District Assembly and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention organised a week long training in Kenyasi for selected district staff to undertake a district wide WASH service monitoring of water facilities, assess performance of Water and Sanitation Management Teams, and evaluate the status of WASH in Schools and HCFs. The 2020 WASH service monitoring data collection round is on the back of similar exercises undertaken in 2017 and 2019.
The data from the WASH service monitoring will inform the annual joint progress reporting on the implementation of Asutifi North District WASH masterplan implementation within the district Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning(MEL) framework developed to track progress. Additionally, the data will be used by different stakeholders and partners to inform corrective actions, planning, or regulation of service providers to improve service provision.
World Vision – Training of Sanitation Coordination Committees in Asutifi North and Ahafo Region
In September 2020, World Vision in collaboration with the Asutifi North District Assembly and Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council with technical support from the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR) organized a training on the Basic Sanitation Information System (BaSIS) for Asutifi North District Inter-Coordination Committee and Ahafo Regional Inter-Coordination Committee on the protocols for ODF verification and certification of communities. In addition, the committees were also taken through their roles in the coordination of sanitation related activities within the Rural Sanitation Model and Strategy (RSMS). Participants who attended the training included staff of the District Assembly, Heads of Departments, CLTS District focal person, District SHEP Coordinator, staff of the Regional Coordinating Council, Regional CLTS focal person, Regional WASH focal person and Regional SHEP Coordinator.
The training has equipped the participants with knowledge and skills in the application of the ODF protocols for verifying and certifying communities that have attain ODF status.
ANAM Radio – Significance of Faith Leaders inclusion in addressing WASH issues in the District
The 19th ANAM WASH Radio programme on Anapua Fm hosted the Faith Leaders in the District to discuss the significance of their inclusion in addressing WASH related issues in Asutifi North. The Project Coordinator of World Vision, Cephas Wedam stated that faith leaders are seen as community gate-keepers who possess authority by virtue of their position, which if they are won in the fight against WASH challenges can use their preaching platforms to amplify WASH messages to their various communities. The resource persons indicated the knowledge acquired training has benefited them a lot which they have started advocating to their congregation and community members the importance of good WASH practices and how to create sustainable WASH services to improve their wellbeing. The seize the opportunity to advise their colleague Faith Leaders who couldn’t be part of the program to join them in the fight against WASH challenges in the District.
