By Albert Futukpor
Tamale, May 12, GNA – Beneficiaries of the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene in Northern Ghana (RuSHiNG) project have praised the initiative for improving sanitation, creating jobs, and transforming livelihoods across communities.
At a close-out ceremony in Tamale, beneficiaries shared testimonies of how the project improved sanitation practices and enhanced the health and dignity of families.
One beneficiary, Ibrahim Memunatu, a 32-year-old seamstress and casual worker at the Tamale Teaching Hospital living with a physical disability, said her family previously relied on a distant public toilet, making access difficult and unsafe for her children.
She explained that after learning about the Sama Sama sanitation initiative through a colleague, she visited the office and received an affordable payment arrangement to install a household toilet.
According to her, the intervention brought dignity, safety, and relief to her family while saving them about GH¢60 monthly previously spent on public toilet charges.
The project also empowered women entrepreneurs such as Doris Akanbasi, owner of Aladoris Enterprise in Tamale, who ventured into the sanitation business despite initially lacking masonry skills.
Doris, one of only five female toilet business owners working with Sama Sama in Tamale, said she had delivered more than 160 household toilets over the past four years and now employs 10 workers while supporting her family financially.
Another beneficiary, Naema Abdul Karim, said the initiative enabled her to earn a stable income and pursue a Higher National Diploma in Water and Environmental Engineering at Tamale Technical University.
Implemented by iDE Ghana with funding support from Global Affairs Canada, the RuSHiNG project facilitated the construction of more than 18,000 household toilets over the past 10 years, benefiting over 180,000 people across seven regions in Ghana.
The project also supported the establishment of more than 200 sanitation entrepreneurs and over 1,000 sales representatives, contributing significantly to employment creation and improved public health.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hilda Alhassan Wunniche said the focus was now on sustaining the gains achieved through the project and building on the foundation established over the years.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh/Audrey Dekalu
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