SI ACCRA: Sanitation Project at Dodowa, Eastern Region, Ghana
A collaborative effort between SI Accra and SI Kyoto (Donor) in response to a request for assistance received from Dodowa Presby Basic ‘B’ school (Beneficiary Institution) for provision of toilet facilities so as to enable and encourage girl children to go to school during their menstrual periods.
The Dodowa Biofil project is a collaborative effort between SI Accra and SI Kyoto (Donor) in response to a request for assistance received from Dodowa Presby Basic ‘B’ school (Beneficiary Institution) for provision of toilet facilities so as to enable and encourage girl children to go to school, especially during their menstrual periods.
The Dodowa Presby Basic ‘B’ school is a school in Dodowa, a rural community near Accra. The total student population of the school is 645. The girl-child population is 330 (51%). The school has only one toilet block with 6 cubicles. Thus 330 girls have to use 2 toilets. The use of a common toilet block for both sexes is deemed a deterrent to girl-child attendance, especially during their menstrual periods. As such the project will at this point in time, seek to resolve this by providing a separate block of 6 cubicles for girls. Under the Government of Ghana guidelines for the provision of public sanitation facilities the required ratio is 25:1 (25 persons to 1 toilet). The project seeks to address poor sanitation in the school by providing the target area with sanitation facility through the combination of VIP[1]and Biofil toilet system (BTS).
The BiofilTM Standalone is an all-in-one unit that offers an onsite water closet and digester. With the option of a micro flush seat, the user simply presses a foot peddle to release the waste into a digester housed directly beneath the seat. The unit utilizes the water from each handwashing (as little as 500mL) to flush the toilet for the next user. This unit is ideal for areas with no access to water, this includes construction sites, resettlement communities and low income communities with no access to water.
The Biofil Digester is a simple compact on-site organic waste treatment system that uniquely
combines the benefits of the flush toilet system and those of the composting toilets and
eliminates the disadvantages and drawbacks of both systems.
Funding of the project has so far been from SI Kyoto and SI Accra Clubs. In March 2019 the latter club submitted an application to SIE for project matching funds. The latest response received has been from SI Emmentl Club (Switzerland) for an amount of 1,000 Swiss Francs.
Early June 2019, the project committee completed arrangements with the contractor (Biofil Ltd|) and the project site was cleared by the Recipient Organization[2] in preparation for the commencement of the main project activity, construction of the facility. The Contract between SI Accra and Biofil Ltd was signed on 25 June. Work commenced on 5 July. The head of the school reports to the project committee consistently on the progress of work by sending photographs that are shared in the project album via Google photos. The project is near completion. Members of the Club visited the project site at the end of August. Although the target date of mid-September could not be met due to many factors, the latest reports and photographs show that the project handover date is not too far away. Especially, with recent support from SI Emmental Club of Switzerland honouring the final payment under the contract has become possible. The project, upon handover, envisages clearly defined responsibilities for the parties, as set out in a memorandum of understanding between the Club and the beneficiaries. Under this arrangement the Club will train recipients on general hygiene and proper washing of hands, proper use of the facility and ensure continuing project oversight. The Recipient Organization will also be responsible for ensuring cleaning, maintenance and proper and judicious use of the facility as well provision of the required expendable inputs (toilet paper, handwashing soap, cleaning detergents and disinfectants, etc.)