Ghana is in emergency need of clean water.

Waterborne diseases are a leading cause of premature death with children being especially vulnerable.

Ghana holds a very special place in my heart, it was one of the first places I volunteered, with Original Volunteers back in August 2013, teaching local children and building new schools. I have gone on to do so much more and grow as a person since then.

Returning to Ghana next year, I want to say thank you to the community which kick-started my love and passion for travelling. I will be revisiting communities in the Lake Volta region and I aim to provide them with a source of clean water.

These communities are by far the poorest and most needy I have ever visited. A lot of the people only have the clothes which they are wearing, and the children sleep on the floor because the family cannot afford to get them beds. It is a hard life they lead, notwithstanding they are happy and cheerful people.

The main issue that the people of these community's face is their drinking water. Their households are without access to clean water, so they are forced to use unreliable less hygienic sources. To make matters worse, these sources often cost more. 70% of diseases in Ghana are caused by dirty drinking water and lack of sanitation. These diseases can be prevented, simply with access to clean water.

It is not just a risk to their health, the hours committed to collecting dirty water and bringing it home prevents children from being able to go to school or parents to go to work. The walks to rivers and swamps with water are long and must be done by hand.

Introducing a plumbing system for the locals to use and collect water from cost on average £4000 and take months of hard labour. With locals unable to afford hot meals every day, asking them to pull together £4000 is laughable. They would think you were mad.

A substitute solution which is cheap but yet effective is to provide the community with water filters. Filtering water removes 99.9% of all parasites, viruses and bacteria, greatly reducing the chances of catching diseases.

Grifaid is a charity which produces these water filters, they work closely with The Safe Water Trust, who organise taking these filters out and showing locals how to use them.

Benefits Of Clean Water

The benefits of clean water to a community are infinite: Higher income from parents missing work less, as well as being more productive working as they are healthier. General improved wellbeing within the community. Pregnant mothers are less likely to become ill and can care for little ones better. Children's health boosts, suffering less and improving intellectual capacity.

Original Volunteers, the organisation whom I will be travelling and volunteering with have already distributed water filters to 30 communities and several dozen families.

A community water filter, provides clean drinking water to 500 people and is only £200. An individual filter for a large family costs £20. Please help me thank the local communities for being as amazing as they are and provide them with water which is safe for their health.

Original Volunteers have sent help to Ghana for nearly 15 years. They work with the entire community and aim to help grow the locals out of poverty.

More Info

Grifaid

Safe Water Trust

Volunteering In Africa