The ANAM WASH Desk organized a weeklong campaign in the Asutifi North District to mark the 2023 World Water Day. This year's World Water Day theme was "Accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crises." The campaign’s goal was to increase awareness about the significance of individuals adopting positive water use and resource management practices. Additionally, the event aimed to attract new participants to join the 4,000+ ANAM WASH network.
The World Water Day commemoration activities included outreach to the District Hospital in Kenyasi and the District Assembly Cluster of Schools.
The World Water Day activities also enabled residents to share their grievances and concerns about WASH services in the Asutifi North District with relevant authorities. Residents expressed their concern about the increasing rate of surface water pollution due to human activities. Bismark K. Asante the District Planning Officer, assured them that the Assembly was commited to implementing action points outlined in the district's WASH Masterplan to protect water resources, as well as implementing the newly developed sanitation by-laws to protect the environment.
The sensitization campaign began on Monday, March 19, and ended on Friday, March 23 with a sensitization campaign at the Kenyasi Market. Through the events, the ANAM WASH Desk gained valuable feedback and insights from the community members regarding water and sanitation access and the impacts of human activities on the environment. The WASH Desk will collate and share these insights with stakeholders to inform future initiatives to improve and sustain access to WASH services in Asutifi North District.
The ANAM WASH initiative continues to leverage partnerships and network building to promote universal access to safe water, basic sanitation, and hygiene services in the Asutifi North District. The WASH network recruited more than 400 new members during the week-long campaign. This was the largestexpansion of the network since the creation and launch of the WASH Customer Service program. Events such as theWorld Water Day campaign provides a vital opportunity for beneficiary communities to engage with decision-makers and stakeholders and work towards a more sustainable future.