Hello Theodora
We are interested in knowing more about the progress of this significant project.

1. What districts/regions of Ghana have been included?
2. What were the results of the FSM study due in Sept 2015?
3. What are the present capacities to collect faecal sludge in these districts and what then happens with the material that is collected?
4. Treatment prior to disposal?
5. Any reuse activities?

You have mentioned that pilot projects will be set up following the feasibility study.
1. What is the present timing and locations for the pilot projects?
3. Will the project then progress to scaling up?
3. How large will the targeted population for this project be?
4. What sort of monitoring and evaluation system is being/will be used in order to measure the impact of the interventions?

Regards

Please find below the project information for a project that I am leading here at Community Water & Sanitation Agency in Accra, Ghana.

We are a public sector organization and operate under the policy direction of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing. We were established by an act of parliament in 1996:
"An Act to establish a Community Water and Sanitation Agency to facilitate the provision of safe water and related sanitation services to rural communities and to provide for connected purposes." (see on our website here: www.cwsa.gov.gh/cwsa_select.cfm?corpnews_catid=3)

Here are the details of the project (funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation):

Title of grant: Ghana: Sanitation and Water in Small Towns and Rural Areas (SAWiSTRA) Programme

• Subtitle: Supporting the Development of a Sustainable Approach to Faecal Sludge Management
• Name of lead organization: Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA)
• Primary contact at lead organization: Theodora Adomako-Adjei, Extension Services Coordinator, Community Water & Sanitation Agency, Head Office
• Grantee location: Accra, Ghana
• Developing country where the research is being tested: Ghana
• Start and end date: June 2014 - December 2018
• Grant type: Other (Building Demand for Sanitation (BDS) portfolio, integrated implementation and learning initiatives
• Grant size in USD: $8,648,407 as per grant database here

Short description of the project:

The purpose of the project is to assist rural communities and small towns in four regions (Western, Central, Eastern and Volta ) in Ghana to have access to safe sanitation and drastically reduce open defecation.

The FSM study is underway and should provide an overview of existing public and private options used by households, institutions and public facilities. The study includes a review of national policy and strategy, as well as management, business, and operating models for fecal sludge collection, transportation, treatment and disposal or re-use. The results are expected in September 2015 and will be used by CWSA to pilot sanitation options and associated FSM practices for institutions (such as schools and clinics) and public places (such as markets and bus stops). A national FSM strategy will be developed on the basis of the study and pilot results.

Goal(s):

To assist rural communities and small towns in four regions in Ghana to have access to safe sanitation and drastically reduce open defecation

Objectives:

• Identify technical options and management models for fecal sludge management (for transport, safe disposal or reuse) in small towns and rural areas.
• Develop a strategy for safe reuse and decentralized treatment options to form the basis for further scale-up of these options

Research or implementation partners: The French government (AFD) and the
European Investment Bank (EIB) were meant to provide loads but the loans were cancelled

Links, further readings – results to date:

Our website: www.cwsa.gov.gh

Documents in SuSanA library (one poster so far):
www.susana.org/en/resources/library/details/2198

Summary description in BDS report of BMGF attached below.

Current state of affairs:
This project was originally designed to establish an innovations unit at CWSA, to support a € 80 million sanitation and water supply program for small towns and rural areas, financed through loans from the French government (AFD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB). The Foundation grant was restructured with an initial grant of $500,200 when the loan was canceled. The planned feasibility study of technical options for Fecal Sludge Management (FSM) in small towns and rural areas has moved forward. Possible next steps depend on the results of the study.

Biggest successes so far: None yet

Main challenges / frustration: N/A

Please don't hesitate to ask if you have questions about this project.

Regards,
Theodora


Theodora Adomako-Adjei
Extension Services Coordinator
Community Water & Sanitation Agency, Head Office
Private Mail Bag
KIA. Accra. Ghana.