By Hauwa Ali
The Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) has launched the construction of 10 solar-powered water supply systems in the Upper West Region of Ghana to improve the drinking water supply for over 2,000 people, as part of its Healthy Future for All (HF4A) project.
The project which was launched recently for residents of the Nandom Township and Lambussie District in the Upper West Region of Ghana aims to improve the living conditions of the people.
The initiative was funded by The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust in the United States, and aims to improve access to water, sanitation, hygiene and nutrition for all as well as increase positive behavioral changes in water, sanitation and hygiene.
With an estimated population of 31.7 million, more than 3 million people still lack access to quality drinking water in Ghana, according to a 2018 report by French company Veolia.
The systems will be equipped with Solar Panels pumping, storage and distribution facilities for potable water for future use.
In Nandom and Lambussie, SNV also plans to build 4,000 home sanitation facilities, as well as 50 dedicated handwashing facilities to boost hygiene. According to the International Water Association (IWA), in 2019, 22% of Ghanaians still practice open defecation, including 4.2 million people in rural areas where the practice is particularly prevalent.
