Pure wellspring
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The heart of every community is water: big as the sea or small as a water spring. It wants to be like water - strong enough to hold a ship , but weak enough to run through your fingers.
Already the preschoolers at Janusz Korczak Day Care Center know that water should should not be wasted. But does such knowledge alone cause a permanent change in the behaviour? In Poland, on average, each of us uses about 150 litres of water in our daily lives, 1/5 of which we use to flush the toilet. In countries of the global South, this amount of water must suffice for the whole day for activities such as washing, cooking, cleaning, washing and drinking, etc.
The issue of water access has a direct impact on:
The issue of water access has a direct impact on:
- The health of communities, especially children - diarrhoeal diseases kill more children than AIDS or malaria, and could easily be reduced by improving hygiene through access to clean water and regular hand washing.
- Poverty and food shortages - water costs make up a significant part of household budgets, which means that there is not enough money for children's education, health care, quality food or investment in development.
The provision of drinking water and sanitation in Ghana presents a number of challenges. Water and sanitation infrastructure is inadequate especially in rural areas. Limited access to basic safe drinking water reservoirs, water supply interruptions, very limited access to sanitation are just some of the challenges that the people of Duadze face on a daily basis.
Exactly one year ago, at the very epicentre of the pandemic with the enormous support of the international organisation Rotary Club, we renovated a local clinic that provides medical services to thousands of residents in a rural area in central Ghana. The clinic is equipped with an internal medicine and maternity ward, the necessary equipment and a sufficient supply of medicines, as well as a special ambulance that can reach patients in case of emergency. Qualified staff, who until now had to commute to work and were therefore not available for critical emergencies, have been given a living and business facility. As a result, services are provided free of charge and are available throughout the whole week without any breaks.
Exactly one year ago, at the very epicentre of the pandemic with the enormous support of the international organisation Rotary Club, we renovated a local clinic that provides medical services to thousands of residents in a rural area in central Ghana. The clinic is equipped with an internal medicine and maternity ward, the necessary equipment and a sufficient supply of medicines, as well as a special ambulance that can reach patients in case of emergency. Qualified staff, who until now had to commute to work and were therefore not available for critical emergencies, have been given a living and business facility. As a result, services are provided free of charge and are available throughout the whole week without any breaks.
This year, the project has been further developed and the clinic has been equipped with a deep well, which has a central water system connected to the clinic. As one of the few places in the village, the clinic has access to running water. This allows the staff to do their work in comfort. They can do so efficiently and without any hindrance. Previously, there was no water tank on the premises of the medical centre, and water was fetched by people going to the nearest village and kept in specially designed tanks. A few days ago the midwife Erika, delivered a 5kg baby. Her gratitude for running water brought tears to our eyes. We have no words to express how thankful we are for such an effective partnership with the Rotary Club of Accra South, which fully funded the excavation, installation and connection of water to the clinic.
The total cost of connecting the well was about 18,000 PLN.
The total cost of connecting the well was about 18,000 PLN.
