A rural sanitation initiative in Northern Ghana is being hailed for significantly improving hygiene standards, creating employment opportunities, and reshaping livelihoods in communities across the northern regions.
This was revealed at the close-out ceremony of the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene in Northern Ghana (RuSHiNG) project held in Tamale, where beneficiaries shared personal accounts of how the intervention improved their health, dignity, and economic conditions.
The project, implemented by iDE Ghana with funding support from Global Affairs Canada, facilitated the construction of more than 18,000 household toilets over a 10-year period, reaching over 180,000 people across seven regions.
For many households, the initiative eliminated long-standing sanitation challenges. One beneficiary, Ibrahim Memunatu, a seamstress and hospital worker living with a physical disability in Tamale, said the lack of a home toilet previously forced her family to rely on distant public facilities, creating hardship and safety concerns.
She explained that through the project’s flexible payment arrangement under the Sama Sama sanitation initiative, her household was able to install a private toilet, describing the change as life-changing in terms of dignity and convenience while also saving about GH¢60 monthly in toilet fees.
The project also opened up economic opportunities, particularly for women in sanitation-related businesses. Doris Akanbasi, founder of Aladoris Enterprise, said she built a successful sanitation business despite starting without masonry skills. She noted that she has since constructed over 160 household toilets, employs 10 workers, and supports her family through the venture.
Another beneficiary, Naema Abdul Karim, credited the initiative with giving her a stable income and enabling her to pursue a Higher National Diploma in Water and Environmental Engineering at Tamale Technical University.
Beyond household sanitation, the programme supported the growth of more than 200 sanitation entrepreneurs and over 1,000 sales agents, contributing to job creation and improved public health outcomes in rural communities.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hilda Alhassan Wunniche said the priority going forward was to sustain the gains made under the project and build on its achievements to further improve sanitation and livelihoods in Northern Ghana.
