Plan International Ghana has commissioned and handed over a water and gender girl-friendly institutional latrine for the Koensim community in the Jasikan Municipality of the Oti region.
The project is a mechanised borehole with a water tank while that of the institutional latrine had changing room for girls, a hand washing facility and a water tank.
Mr. Constant Tchona, Country Director, Plan International Ghana, said the projects implemented in the community were an integrated one addressing all challenges around water, sanitation, hygiene, and lack of adequate infrastructure for girls in schools.
He said the organisation tends to work in very remote areas that had fewer social services and infrastructure available with focus on everyone, especially ensuring that girls were not overlooked hence the choice of Koensim community.
Mr. Tchona said the organisation’s Integrated Package for Sustainable Development (I-PADEV) project was building 20 similar projects in the Jasikan Municipality and West Mamprusi.
H
e said the projects were important because they opened conversations about norms and taboos on how males saw females menstruating.
‘It is something that is natural, a health issue and it is important for boys and men to be supporting girls to feel comfortable about their menstruation and to help them to clean themselves up and come to stay in school’.
Mr. Benoni Nyasorgbor, Headmaster, Koensim M/A Basic School, said the sanitary situation in the school was bad due to the absence of a toilet facility which paved way for open defecation.
He said the new facility would significantly reduce the menace of open defecation, adding that pupils would also be punctual because they would have a place to attend to nature’s call.
Mr. Nyasorgbor said the facility which had a changing room for girls would help them feel safe during their menstruation and concentrate in school since most girls absent themselves from school during their menstrual period.
He said management of the school would ensure an effective maintena
nce culture on the facility to enhance its longevity.
Togbe Paul Adufoli, Chief of Koensim said the source of water for the community was not only far but not safe for their use.
He said the timely intervention of Plan International Ghana to providing safe drinking water was highly of recommendation and the community would forever be grateful for their support.
Togbe Adufoli said the community would do its possible best to maintain the facility to serve the community for an exceptionally long time.
Togbe Azameti, Chief of Kechi, a neighbouring beneficiary community of Plan International Ghana’s projects, said they had positively impacted lives in the community.
He said the Organisation helped in tackling early teenage pregnancy in the community, provided a community centre, enhanced education, and provided safe drinking water for them.
Source: Ghana News Agency