ActionAid Ghana cushions eight schools in the Northern Region to improve WASH conditions for gender equality

Progress in drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene is widely regarded as critical to achieving SDG 5, which aims to "realise gender equality and empower all women and girls," and ActionAid Ghana has projected its gender effect over the years. The UN 2023 Water Conference in Ghana calls for an increase in public finance and more private sector investment in WASH. According to the statistics by the World Health Organisation, 7,653 deaths were caused by WASH-related illness in 2019—21 people per day, or almost one person every hour, died from preventable WASH-related diseases.

ActionAid Ghana and partner, the Northern Network for Education Development (NNED), carried out a survey in 57 beneficiary schools within the Tamale and Sagnarigu Assemblies on Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in 2023. This forms part of its interventions under the new CSP VII Strategic Priority 3, whose  focus area 3, states the organisation’s intention to promote access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services. Among others, the survey findings revealed gaps in the existence and use of WASH facilities in these 57 schools in the Northern region. According to the findings, some schools did not have WASH facilities and those that had, they were in a very deplorable state and not fit for purpose.

ActionAid Ghana agrees with overarching aim of UN in Ghana is to ensure “No child goes to school without functioning WASH facilities, and no woman has to give birth in a health facility without functioning toilets and washrooms." Hence, ActionAid Ghana has extended support to eight (8) basic schools from Sagnarigu Municipal (Wayamba RC JHS, Kpene M/A Primary, and Ngarung AME Zion Primary) and four schools from the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (Bamvum Presby Primary/KG, Yong Dakpemyili R/C Primary, Yong Dakpemyili R/C JHS, Kakpagyili Taskif Primary/KG, and Jonshegu Anglican JHS).

A total of eight basic schools in the Tamale and Sagnarigu Assemblies in the Northern Region were awarded cheques of GH¢5,000.00 each to help promote sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices to close the looming gap of period poverty, poor sanitation, and hygiene.

The support conforms to the goal of the new country strategy paper, Active Citizenship for Social Justice, and promotes strategic priority three of the paper, which seeks to improve accountability, gender responsiveness, and public service.

The Country Director, John Nkaw, strongly believes that “achieving social justice requires collaboration, alliance building, and dialoguing with key stakeholders to strategically map out issues confronting women and children for a just, feminist, and resilient Ghana and supports such as these affirms our goal”.

Mrs. Esther Boateng, Northern Regional Programmes Manager, reiterated during the donation that the funds are to support school-led initiatives towards improving WASH activities, especially among adolescent girls. 

Some representatives of the beneficiary schools reaffirmed their commitment to achieving SDG 5.  Mr Alhassan Alidu Junior, the Municipal Director of Education at Sagnarigu, stated the need for partnerships to address infrastructural gaps in terms of WASH facilities in schools. He lauded the support emphasizing that it would help address absenteeism among girls, especially during their menstrual periods. 

The new strategy paper is designed to amplify AAG’s commitment to ensuring dignified and productive lives for humanity.