AFRAM SKUUL OF INNOVATION

MARCH, 2011

UPPER WEST REGIONWA

Background Traditional barriers to collective community

actionsLeads to limitations to our social mobilization

processesLimitation in efficiency, effectiveness and

sustainability of service delivery

Learning ObjectiveTo learn the social inter-mediation process as an effective development tool in the WASH sector

Meguo – Mantari Shared Water Source: Meguo and Mantari are two communities in the Nadowli District of the Upper West Region that are currently benefitting from a shared water facility which is under the Global Water Initiative funded by the Howard Buffet Foundation from the USA. According to oral history, they are one but inter marry.

The two communities are about 2km apart. There was only the one bore-hole in Mantari which was used by both communities. Meguo was the original beneficiary of this project. But with problems associated with fresh drilling at Meguo, the two communities were encouraged to continue their spirit of sharing which resulted in the mechanization of the existing bore hole in Mantari and the construction of a pipeline to Meguo.

The project took one year to complete

MEGUO COMMUNITY PROJECT

MANTARI COMMUNITY PROJECT

The water source is solar powered.

Water is pumped into two tanks for the communities to use.

o

5. Role of the Assembly and the local Assembly man

6. Role of Siiru-Naa

7. Role of ProNet and CARE

8. Procurement of good artisans

9. Construction took place during dry season

Women now able to grow and sell vegetables at the nearby community market at NanviliHave multiple uses of the water as most of them are into dry season gardening especially the women groups who are into vegetables plantations Women’s pito and shea nut businesses have improved

•Due to the community meeting on water fora, families now get fresh vegetables to eat and their children are healthier than before.

Other Outcomes• Migration of the youth to the southern part of

the country for greener pasture has reduced because of the mechanised water system

• A road has been built to link the two communities

• Children’s contact hours in school have now increased

• Women are now able to pay for their health insurance