Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Market Development in Northern Ghana

This project aims to reduce the burden of sanitation-related diseases in Northern Ghana by introducing much-needed supply chain innovations to improve the availability affordability and sustained use of appropriate sanitation and hygiene solutions for Ghanaian households. This project continues to advance the work of previously funded RuSHING projects but with a particular focus on activities aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Project activities include: (1) installing 100 hand-washing stations in strategic public spaces; (2) engaging 100 monitors to ensure cleanliness of each station and raise awareness of users on how COVID-19 spreads; and (3) broadcasting of public service announcements on 25 radio stations across project areas. This project seeks to facilitate the adoption of improved sanitation and hand hygiene behaviors for rural Ghanaians who do not have access to improved sanitation in their homes. This project also works to develop a sanitation market through the direct facilitation of design production and sale of toilets across Ghana’s northern regions.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased adoption of good sanitation and hygiene practices in rural communities in Ghana’s three northern regions to improve health including maternal newborn and child health; (2) increased capacity of commercial supply value chains to improve health outcomes through delivery of sanitation services; and (3) increased government capacity to support market-based approaches to sanitation with this component of the project having a particular focus on outcomes one and two.