According to the 2017 Joint Monitoring Program Report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, more than 3 million people do not have access to improved water source and almost eight million people do not have access to improved sanitation in Ghana.
Already helping to address this, Nestlé has partnered with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to increase access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene for 76,300 people in 50 cocoa producing communities of the Eastern and Ashanti regions of Ghana.
This initiative is in line with Nestlé’s ambition to help improve 30 million livelihoods in communities directly connected to its business activities, Established in 2002, this partnership is inspired by the vision of the IFRC to improve the health of vulnerable and rural communities and Nestlé’s purpose of enhancing the quality of life and contributing to a healthier future.
The project seeks to provide access to health and hygiene education services, including the provision of water supply and sanitation facilities for more than 50,000 people.
In order to ensure proper management of facilities and knowledge transfer, the project will improve the capacity to manage and maintain WASH services of 1,300 staff, key stakeholders and community volunteers by 2018.
The joint project named, “Gha-WASH” (for Ghana Water Sanitation & Hygiene) is implemented with the support of Community Water and Sanitation Agency and other district-based agencies in Ghana.
We thank you for locating Katapeithough it is in the outskirts of town.” This week, Nestlé and the IFRC have undertaken a monitoring mission in targeted communities.
Freda Duplan, Managing Director of Nestlé Ghana said: “improving the health of the farming communities where we source our raw material is central to our Creating Shared Value approach which aims to ensure that both these communities and our company thrive and grow together sustainably.
Robert S M Fraser, Senior Officer, WASH, IFRC based in Geneva present during the mission trip said,“I am pleased to see the realization of our partnership with Nestlémaking remarkable impact in addressing WASH needs in Ghana.
The Gha-WASH contributes to achieving the SDG Goal 6: “ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all:”