Pavuu: ActionAid Ghana (AAG) has encouraged community members benefiting from the Community Action Plans (CAPs) intervention to take ownership and care of the water facilities provided to ensure their sustainability and service for future generations.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. John Nkaw, the Country Director of ActionAid Ghana, emphasized the importance of maintaining these facilities during a monitoring visit to project sites in the Lawra Municipality. The visit was part of his working tour in the Upper West Region, where projects such as hand-pump boreholes, mechanized water systems, conservation agriculture demonstration sites, agroforestry, dams, and irrigation facilities were observed.
The CAPs intervention, funded by Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) through the Resilience Against Climate Change (REACH) project under the European Union Ghana Agricultural Programme (EUGAP), aims to address community-identified priority needs. The water facilities are designed to improve access to potable water, enhance socio-economic activities, particularly for women, and promote girls' education.
Mr. Nkaw stated, "We anticipate that these boreholes will build the resilience of the communities and encourage men to support women in domestic chores such as fetching water for the family. That will help reduce the workload on women, enable them to engage in other economic activities, and reduce domestic violence."
ActionAid Ghana has established and trained Water and Sanitation Management Committees (WSMCs) in each community to ensure the sustainability of these facilities. Madam Abiba Nibaradun, the Upper West Regional Manager of ActionAid Ghana, urged the committees to maintain the cleanliness and functionality of the facilities.
Community members expressed gratitude towards AAG and its partners, acknowledging the intervention's role in alleviating water scarcity. Residents such as Madam Gladys Gbangpuo from Pavuu and Madam Monica Putiewiir from Kalsegr-Gyanvuur shared how the new facilities have eased their burden and improved their quality of life.
The CAP Project interventions align with Strategic Priorities One and Three of ActionAid Ghana's Country Strategic Paper VII, promoting Agroecology, Food Sovereignty, and expanding access to green livelihoods. Additionally, it contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which aims for the sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.
