Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Market Development in Northern Ghana

The project aims to reduce the burden of sanitation-related diseases and improve public health and maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) for 300,000 people living in the Upper East, Northern and Upper West Regions of Ghana. The project seeks to improve the availability and sustained use of affordable and improved latrines by introducing supply chain innovations in the sanitation and hygiene market. It works in open, defecation free communities across 36 districts and uses a solid marketing approach that focuses on the downstream health and MNCH benefits of sanitation. Project activities include: (1) conducting an initial market assessment in targeted areas, and designing tailor-made and sustainable sanitation solutions and sound sanitation business models; (2) local sanitation entrepreneurs producing and selling over 60,000 improved latrines to rural Ghanaians; (3) developing and delivering outreach and awareness activities to promote improved health through safe sanitation and hygiene practices; (4) providing technical resources and skills training to 180 new and existing sanitation entrepreneurs (small businesses) and government officials in delivering market-based sanitation services; and (5) developing financial mechanisms to facilitate the acquisition of improved latrines for families.