WaterHealth Ghana (WHG), has announced the completion of the halfway milestone in rolling out the decentralized Community Water Systems called WaterHealth Centers (WHCs) under the Ghana Wash Window (GWW) program, much ahead of schedule.
WHG which is a wholly owned subsidiary of WaterHealth International, a pioneer in the Community Water Systems industry aims to provide clean and safe drinking water access to an estimated one (1) million Ghanaians.
The GWW program, supported by the Dutch Government through its developmental agency i.e. RVO) awarded the project to set up eighty-five (85) WHCs to WaterHealth Ghana in July 2015. The company since then has set up over 40 WHCs in various parts of the country and plans to conclude the entire project, i.e. setting up of 85 WHCs by end of 2017.
However WaterHealth Ghana is pursuing the vision to (cumulatively) set up over 250 WHCs in Ghana by 2020; the proposed scale will provide access to clean and safe water to about 20 million Ghanaians by 2020. To pursue this audacious goal, WaterHealth will partner with Jaldhaara Foundation [a leading global NGO associated with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programs worldwide] to significantly expand its presence in the country. Jaldhaara Foundation was also formally launched in Ghana at the same event.
Speaking on the occasion, Vikas Shah, Chief Operating Officer of WaterHealth International said, “We are chasing an audacious goal of providing safe water access to 20 million people by 2020 in Ghana; support from the Government, partnerships with development agencies and corporates including communities will be the key in making this happen”.
“With Jaldhaara Foundation setting up its operations in Ghana, the WASH [Water, Sanitation and Hygiene] space in Ghana will witness a major thrust; their presence will not only augment the CSR related collaboration but also bring in international best practices into the country,” he added.
Speaking on behalf Jaldhaara Foundation, Mr. Stephan Arthur said, “Jaldhaara Foundation [JF] has established strategic partnerships with implementation partners who are experts in the WASH solution value chain. For providing clean and safe drinking water, the Foundation has partnered with WaterHealth International globally; JF’s foray into Ghana is therefore in line with supporting and scaling up that partnership”.
WaterHealth Ghana’s business model involves setting up of WHCs in underserved communities through Public Private Community Partnerships (PPCP).