The Role of Non-Governmental Sector in Community Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Technologies and Services in North- Western Ghana

Abstract

Despite the Sustainable Development Goals which have been adopted since September 2015, research findings on sectoral achievements of the gaols are inadequate. This study ascertained the approaches, effectiveness, implications and challenges of the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), in promoting access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) through its water for resilience project in rural communities of the Lawra Municipality and Nandom District of the north-western corridor of Ghana. A before-and-after study design with mixed methods research approach was used, and theoretically dictated by the Malongza’s model.  Sample sizes of 400 for ex-ante evaluation and 260 at the ex-post evaluation stages were used. It was found that the intervention improved WASH technologies and services, provided schools with vegetables, equipped women with livelihood opportunities and reduced diarrheal diseases, but challenged by implementation deadlines. Joint public and private sector interventions to make WASH services sustainable in rural communities were recommended.