Briefing Note: ASHANTI WATER INITIATIVE
Safe Water Network is pleased to welcome His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana and His Royal Highness, OtumfuoOsei Tutu II, the King of Asante Kingdom to the launch of the Safe Water Station at Yaw kwei. This briefing note provides a background and overview on the initiative. Background For years, the people of Yawkwei and up to 2 million people in Ashanti region have been inadequately served with safe drinking water, and suffer from several water related diseases that affects their health and livelihoods. Safe Water Network in partnership with BGI is launching this station, which is part of the results of the first phase of a broader initiative to provide safe drinking water up to 13,000 people in the region. The next phase will impact an additional 50,000 people in the region.Today, this station, together with two other stations located at Ananekrom(Asante Akim North)and Atia(EjisuJuaben) provides reliable, low-cost safe water access to 10,000 people and will contribute to a reduction in water related diseases and improve convenient access to safe
The Station 
The Safe Water Station at Yawkwei, together with similar systems at Ananekrom (Asante Akim North) and Atia (EjisuJuaben) pump raw water from existing boreholes and treats it through chlorination to produce water meeting WHO standards. Water is sold at each site at an affordable rate (GHS 0.15/40L), and will also delivered to customers through standpipes and remote water kiosks and in bulk via tricycles using narrow- mouthed 20L jerry cans.
The Ceremony
Your visit marks the launch of the station and introduction of two new programs designed to improve the station’s reach, financial sustainability and health outcomes in the region. These are:
- A Container Program to address the challenge of recontamination (identified through research we completed with Johns Hopkins University) through safe, narrow-mouthed 20L jerry cans.
- A Tricycle Distribution Program using motorized cartsto provide water delivery services to consumers living beyond 500 meters from the site but unable to afford the cost of our existing truck-based delivery.
These initiatives were launched in 2013 by Mrs. Nane Annan, wife of His Excellency, Mr. Kofi Annan, Former UN Secretary General during a visit to Safe Water Network’s water station at Obeyeyie in the Ga West Municipality.
Future Plans
In addition to our continued focus on improving results at existing water stations, Safe Water Network is currently launching an ambitious expansion program in Ghana, drawing heavily on the lessons learned at our other original sites. Over the next 3 years, with support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Newman’s Own Foundation, Pepsico Foundation, Kosmos Energy, Volta River Authority and BGI LLC, we will launch 50 new Safe Water Stations across 5 regions, bringing safe water access to an additional 100,000 people
