At the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North Luncheon on April 13, 2023, Walter Hughes talked about a project he is involved in called The Ghana WASH Project.
Walter said, "25% of the world’s population don't have clean water, and 45% of the world’s population have no functioning toilet."
The Ghana WASH Project works to improve rural and peri-urban communities in the areas of water, sanitation and hygiene by linking up with communities, local NGOs, government agencies, as well as international organizations working in the sector. Through a multi-level approach, the project worked to build the capacity of local communities and organizations, and not only improve water, sanitation and hygiene, but also empowered these actors to continue promoting development well after the project has reached completion.
The Project has educated the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club of the needs and benefits of local communities. So far the Project has provided clean water and sanitation to over 830,000 people in Africa, as well as assisting to build 10 schools in Ghana. Hughes partners with 184 clubs in 51 districts in eight countries.
When new wells and micro-flush toilets it is up to the communities to maintain them. No longer is charity offered to the communities where a new well is dug and then everyone leaves, leaving the well to be unmaintained and break or go dry. The Ghana WASH Project has found to be highly effective in their efforts, they must obtain assistance from the local leaders and educate local laborers with training and the knowledge necessary to maintain their own access to clean water. The locals fund the project, construct the project and maintain the project. It creates a change of empowerment, as well as creating a huge difference in sustainability and stewardship in the project.
Hughes traveled to South Sudan in 2013 and again during the civil war in 2015 to inspect Rotary’s clean water project. Rotary is close to eradicating the Guinea worm disease and polio.
The Ghana WASH project's new grant will result in the additional 50 new boreholes, 217 micro-flush household toilets and 265 micro-credit loans. It has a total cost of 200,000 and will impact more than 41,000 lives.
There are 3 Rotary Clubs involved in Rotary Global Grant (#22-38088):
- The Rotary Club of Obuasi- Host.
- The Rotary Club of Myrtle Beach- Project lead Walter Hughes.
- The Rotary Club of Montreal (Canada)- Fundraising.
The grant will be submitted in September to TRF and fundraising will occur from Sept. 2022-Feb. 2023.
More information on clean water in Ghana by Rotary:
- 10 years into the Rotary-USAID water and sanitation partnership, here’s what worked, what didn’t — and why.
- Leading Rotary's WASH Advocacy In Ghana.
Walter Hughes via Zoom from Myrtle Beach
