For decades, efforts to provide safe drinking water to rural communities in Ghana have struggled to create lasting change. Studies show that about 30% of handpumps built in Sub-Saharan Africa are found broken or unused, highlighting a pattern in which solutions are rarely led, owned or maintained by the communities themselves. This contributes to a larger challenge: Fewer than one in five people in rural Ghana have access to safely managed water.
Emerging models of water entrepreneurship and local enterprise present an optimistic pathway forward. Our partners in Ghana invest in building sustainable local enterprises, training staff in operation and maintenance and customer service to deliver safe water as an ongoing, reliable service to their communities. These community partnerships offer a scalable and long-lasting approach to safe water, resulting in service delivery that adapts to real local needs.
One organization leading this shift is Water4, a nonprofit committed to professional, locally managed water services in Africa. Through Water4’s venture NUMA, every community served has access to reliable safe water, managed by trained staff who understand and are part of the communities they serve. Professionals like Jennifer Narkie Teye, a dedicated NUMA Utility Officer, help Water4 and local communities keep water flowing and improve health, all while unlocking economic potential.
Meet Jennifer:
Many communities in Northern Ghana struggle with consistent access to safe and reliable water sources. Saha Global addresses this sustainability challenge through an innovative model that harnesses the power of local leadership. Saha provides local women with training and resources to become water entrepreneurs, building and managing clean water businesses in their own villages. Asia and Ayi, from the village of Vogyili, are two such entrepreneurs. They oversee every stage of their village’s water business—sourcing and treating water to make it safe for drinking, cooking and cleaning, and distributing it to neighbors at an affordable price.
Watch a day in the life of two water entrepreneurs: