The Rural Water Development Program (RWDP) of the church of Christ is undertaking a two year project to provide clean drinking water to over 40,000 people in northern Ghana.
Through your help, we are partnering with others in providing 12 water stations at intervals of an 124 miles along a new road that is being built to help connect southern Ghana with northern Ghana.
Water for 40,000 people suffering in Northern Ghana
The RWDP has partnered with a Brazilian Construction Company and the Government of Ghana in providing 12 water stations - produceing over 37,000 gallons of fresh clean water for drinking, cooking and washing.
This is an exceptional opportunity for the RWDP and Ghana West Africa Missions (GWAM) to have such an impact on improving water and sanitation ability to more than 40,000 people over a long term period.
All parties involved agreed and were eager for us to work with them to provide 12 boreholes (water wells) at approximately 8 mile intervals along the newly constructed road. After the drilling, water stations will be installed, which will provide approximately 37,000 gallons of water each day at each village location.
We were more than happy to accept this challenge for we knew that over 40,000 people along the new roadway would soon have access to clean, potable drinking water and possibility for sanitation.
We also have faith that such an exceptional opportunity would help spread and advance the love of God to those living in this area.
By the end of 2016 the roadway will be completed and the systems will be turned over to the villages nearby each set of water tanks.
The communities along the 124 mile stretch of the road will have clean potable drinking water to the glory of God, which will be a landmark achievement for the Lord's church on a global impact scale.
Severe Drought in 2015
Early in 2015, Yendi, where the base of operations is located for RWDP, with a population of over 90,000, was facing a severe water shortage crisis.
This was caused by a long term drought that was being experienced in northern Ghana. The drought dried up the ponds where the animals get their water and, more importantly, it has lead to the drying up of the Dakar River - flowing just outside of Yendi. This drought, in these hard places, affects all parts of life including water supply, production for food and many health related issues.
In September of 2015, The Rural Water Development Program (RWDP) of the Church of Christ provided the people of Yendi with two mechanized water systems at a cost of $29,000 to assist in the ongoing water shortage issue in the Yendi – northern Ghana area.
Beginning this year and for the next five drilling seasons, we plan to install one new mechanized well in various parts of Yendi - so that this kind of situation does not arise again.
The mechanized systems are to help solve the perennial water shortages faced by the people in the Yendi Municipality in the Northern Region.
They have the capacity to produce about 94,000 gallons of potable water a day and to impact 4,000 people a day by providing clean water for drinking, cooking and washing.
Schools and Sanitation
The Suniya basic school in Kumbungu in northern Ghana has a student population of about 890 children between the ages of 6 and 14.
Sadly, the school had been functioning with a very poor sanitation system for a number of years now. Their restroom facilities had been limited to a broken down out house, without windows and a partially missing roof. There was no water available for cleaning of hands after using the facilities. There were only four commodes (merely holes in the floor) and they were used by both boys and girls.
Life for these children was very challenging. Many of these girls would drop out of school completely rather than continue struggling to keep up and to face the embarrassment they went through.
During 2015, the RWDP, partnering with UNICEF, along with GWAM, came to the aid of these children by providing them with two restrooms with 8 stalls each.
They also put a changing room in the girl’s facility. A rain water harvester to collect roof run-off was also installed on each restroom. In addition, in order to make the facility handicap access, the facilities have ramps leading up to them making it possible for physically challenged pupils to use.
New Program Trucks
Because we have been blessed, we have in turn blessed tens of thousands in Ghana. One of our goals for this year was to purchase four utility trucks for the drilling program. RWDP had three trucks in use, but they were all more than six years old and were constantly breaking down and costing more money than they were worth.
By May, 2015, we had purchased two of the trucks and had adequate funding donated so that we could purchase the third one. The cost of these three was over $105,000.00.
It is because of your generosity that it has been possible for us to do more with more to serve the people in northern Ghana.
By your support and the grace of God, we were able to buy the fourth truck by September.
Leadership Evangelism
It is always good to talk about the good news happening in northern Ghana.
Evangelism is a large part of that good news. The church in northern Ghana strives in leadership to reach people who are not Christians or have never heard the gospel. In October the local church leaders in Yendi were able to go to Tatale to meet with the leaders and preachers from fourteen congregations in that area.
There were thirty-four church leaders who attended. The leadership seminar focused on using good skills and vision to help grow the church in village communities. It was a great
time and really the first time we were able to have such a meeting. It was such a great success that it was planned for a meeting such as this be held, at least, twice each year to see that goals are being met of reaching people in these difficult village areas.
Those present were willing to learn more about leadership in serving to advance the gospel even more in northern Ghana – working to impact many that are unreached by God’s grace and love.
