One difficult thing, especially for young girls, about going to school is that the northern schools, generally, have no private toilet facilities.

 

According to the U.N. while six billion people in the world (out of a total population of 7 billion) have access to a mobile phone, only 4.5 billion people have access to improve toilets or latrines, leaving 2.5 billion who do not have access. It estimates that if everyone in the world had access to a toilet, the lives of 200,000 children could be saved each year. (http://www.unicef.org/ghana/media_7807.html)

 

When the children need to relieve themselves they have to go out in the bush around the school to do it. The boys don’t really care, but it is most difficult for the girls. To make matters worse, when the girls are going through their cycles they do not generally have adaquate sanitary products.  So, most girls stay home for that week each month. Eventually they get so far behind that they just drop out and their chance at formal education comes to an end.

 

GWAM's Impact on Communities

 

Partnering with UNICEF, RWDP (Rural Water Development Program) in Northern Ghana is currently proposing to build 29 toilet with water for as many schools. We have already to date built 35 for schools and communities and the result for the female students and women has been amazing.

 

The girls have both privacy and the facilities needed for their hygiene. They are staying in school and not missing so many days.

 

Needless to say, they are celebrating over something we take for granted.