Published on: 28/08/2023
ACCRA, 26 July 2023 - IRC Ghana and Project Maji have joined forces to execute a sustainable drinking water pilot project in Ghana's Ahafo Region. The partnership initiative is based on the shared vision that co-creation can spearhead successful water sanitation and hygiene interventions. By leveraging the strengths of each partner, we aim to unlock sustainable access to safe drinking water to a small number of water-poor communities delivering long-term, non-traditional, innovative solutions that last.
The pilot project is set to establish six safe water access points across three distinct communities in the Asunafo South District. The core of this partnership lies in the strategic convergence of IRC's systems strengthening and site selection proficiency with Project Maji's expertise in installation and operation. This collaboration ensures a comprehensive and holistic approach promising long-lasting and transformational solutions to improve service delivery.
IRC specialises in building strong water, sanitation and hygiene systems –facilitating collective action to support systems change. Project Maji is a safe water enterprise that exists to fight rural water poverty by installing and maintaining solar-powered water access points and systems, providing sustainable access to safe water. As such, both organisations complement each other, allowing to build a shared value partnership to accelerate long-term impact.
Project kick-off meeting in Accra, Ghana
IRC has been a stakeholder in the WASH master plan (2017-2030) for implementation under the Asutifi North Ahonidie Mpontuo (ANAM) initiative, promoting universal access to safe water, basic sanitation, and hygiene services. Against this backdrop, IRC is expanding to new districts in the Ahafo Region to replicate and scale up lessons learned. Building on the comprehensive district selection exercise and the mapping of WASH services, the Asunafo South District was identified for the co-creation pilot. This well-organised District has finalised their WASH master plan which targets to increase access to basic water services from the current 62% to 83% by 2030.
National and local level stakeholders welcome regional replication of the district-wide Initiative
The pilot is well-underway and three deserving communities are selected following a joint site selection mission in May. Each village has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and will receive appropriate solar-powered water kiosks to serve the demand; ranging from single access points to a small network of mechanised water access points. And critically, Project Maji will act as the service provider, maintaining and regularly servicing the water points to ensure long-term functionality and sustainability.
Wieke de Vries (Director Partnerships) is excited about the potential of the initiative:
"We feel this co-creation pilot is very promising and we are honoured to work alongside IRC Ghana. Not only are they an international think tank actively building strong WASH systems, they create local enabling environments. They focus on strengthening local governments and assist with drafting master plans, which means we can focus on what we do best: Design, install and maintain solar-powered water kiosks and networks. We are confident our approach will be successful and can be scaled up in the near future."
Speaking of the partnership, Vida Duti, IRC Ghana Country Director said:
"This partnership means a lot for IRC that has a niche in strengthening local water, sanitation, and hygiene systems, with the complement of Project Maji that focuses on service delivery. The Asunafo South District Assembly envisions that 'By 2030, every person in households, health and educational institutions in Asunafo South will have access to safe and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services.' This initiative hugely contributes in advancing our goal of achieving universal coverage and enhancing the overall quality of life of the people in the District."
The three communities in Asunafo South District can expect their new installations in 2023. The project is financially supported by Aqua for All, an international foundation unlocking capital needed to bridge the service and finance gap in the water and sanitation economy.
For more information about the partnership between Project Maji and IRC, please visit the respective websites or reach out to our teams.
IRC Ghana Contact
www.ircwash.org/ghana
Project Maji Contact
www.projectmaji.org
