Two leadership programs down and two weeks of monitoring under the belt – wow, life in Tamale is different when there aren’t 60 salamingas running around town. As I settle into this new lifestyle, I am starting to reflect on the differences of being a Field Rep and working as a staff member in Ghana.
As a field rep, my mind was set on the end goal of beginning a water treatment business in Sagbarigu. There were definitely problems along the way, but we were able to find quick and easy solutions to each problem we faced. We left in June 2014 confident that the skill sets we gave the women entrepreneurs were enough to keep the business running.
Now I am back two years later as a full-time staff member. Yes, Sagbarigu’s water treatment business is still running well. But, I have already learned in my short time here that there are many gray areas to the success of these businesses. It’s not just about the incredible team that implemented these businesses. It’s also about the incredible staff members that work hard to monitor in these communities. Every day, we visit 3 communities to check on the center, sales, successes and challenges of the water and solar businesses. I am learning quickly that each business has its unique challenges that I could not have imagined as a field rep. As I sit in the solar center of Chandanyili with Wahab and the 4 women entrepreneurs talking about money management, I can see a concrete difference in the way I solved problems as a field rep and the way I solve problems now.
Instead of wondering, what can be done right now to solve this problem, I ask myself: What is better for the sustainability of this project? Should we use the easy solution to get the center back up and running now? Or talk with the women, encourage them to hold a community meeting, and let us know their final decision on sales? Do we lead these business owners towards the answer we want to hear or do we let them find solutions to their problems that best fit their community? Will their answer end up being the same as ours?
I may not know the answers to all of these questions now, as they are sure to be different with each unique situation, but I have learned so much already from Eric, Wahab, Amin, Peter and Shak. Eda and I continue to be thankful for their patience, willingness to answer any [silly] question, and the constant laughter (usually relating to our most recent marriage proposals). We’re excited to see what this year has in store for us!
We are happy to report that, once again, 80% of our households had clean water in their safe storage containers. We are very excited about this number and look forward to seeing it increase further! This month, there were a number of communities with high water sales. These villages include: Nekpegu, Chihigu, Vogyili, Kagbal, Balomposo, Wambong, Galinkpegu, Kideng, Gidanturu, Futa and Komonaayili. We are especially impressed with Chihigu, Galinkpegu, Futa, and Kombonaayili because they were recently implemented this past winter. Two of our solar communitites, Chandanyili and Wambong, had high solar sales this month. Although they don’t currently have bank accounts, Sagbarigu, Chadanyili, Kpalguni, Gundaa, Namdu I and Namdu II plan on opening bank accounts very soon!
Challenges
Although some communities have received rain, the following communities still have very low dugouts: Djelo, Buhijaa Tindan I, and Chandanyili. When the dugouts fill back up, women entrepreneurs are encouraged to inform their community that their centers are regularly running again. This month, Namdu II, Kuldanali, Manguli II, and Djelo had polytank issued that were fixed by our full time staff. Most polytank issues are leaks from the tap, which can be fixed with new parts or just glue and tape! Additionally, Gundaa’s solar center had a leak in the roof that had to be immediately fixed and Jangbarigiyili experienced loose wires after a storm that were fixed with the help of our full time staff. Sagbarigu informed Wahab that they were not given any spare batteries after implementation of their solar business. Businesses are given 10% extra batteries for their solar centers to use as others are charging. Wahab plans to bring these to the women entrepreneurs as soon as possible.
Sanatu makes sales in Vogyili.
“Sun was scorching, so I brought the polytank under some shade to fix” – Eric in Kpenchila
“Ramatu bought some aquatabs” – Eric monitors NekpeguScooping water to treat for sales in Kpaligini
“Drinking some clean water and feeling refreshed” – from Eric, monitoring
The community of Vogyili reinforces their dugout in the hope that it will hold more water this rainy season (background). In the foreground, kids pose with EricSolar center in Sakpalua , run by Damu (above and below)
“Tindan I water is running very low pray for rain to come” – Wahab in Tindan IArishetu and Dahiyatu, entrepreneurs in Tindan I
Household visit in Tindan I, as Wahab monitors there
“This family said they are happy to have a access to clean water at the community” – Wahab monitors in Naha
“Household monitoring, though this house was my favorite household on this day. I found out that they have six safe storage containers in the house” – Wahab monitors at Galikpegu
A new compound in Galinkepgu. Wahab, who monitors here, gave the family a safe storage container so that they could start purchasing clean water from the treatment center.
“Household vist” – Wahab monitors“I found dugout water in someone’s bucket at Galikpegu” – Saha’s policy is that safe storage containers can only be used for safe drinking water, so if our staff comes across dugout water while monitoring, the family needs to dump it out and wash the container thoroughly if they are interested in continuing to use it for clean water. This is what the long-term challenges of behavior change look like!
“Household visit with a full bucket of clean water”
“This family is being doing good making sure they have enough clean water in the house so that those who come to their house would not drink dugout water by accident” – Wahab monitors Gundaa
Sometimes figuring out the water-proof backing to these lanterns can be tricky!
Amin arrives for sales at Futa
Household visits in Chanaayili – the business here was implemented in Jan 2011 and is still going strong!
“Kpalbusi calling” – a photo from Peter’s monitoring
“Today I met up with Nma Nimpaga at Komlanyili at their dugout. She was happy they now have water at their dugout so they don’t have to move the center back and forth”The team gathers at the Saha office for our weekly Friday meeting!
“Fati putting the batteries on charge” – from Wahab’s monitoring
Chihigu’s new dugout after the rains
Fatima, an entrepreneur in Namdu 2, just had a new baby. Her name is Barikisu! Amarraba!
“This woman is from Chihigu and she is happy having access to clean water at the community” – from Wahab’s monitoring in May
Gidanturu, Yepalsi, Naha, Moya, Kpalguni II, Yepala, Sakpalua, Namdu II, Warvi, Galinkpegu, Kpachiyili, Tunga, Tohinaayili, Bamvim, Balomposo, and Chani all had high sales at their water businesses during April. Polytank taps were fixed in Kasulyili, Changyili and Kideng, so the centers are now up and running!
Eighty-two percent of households had clean water in their safe storage containers this month, which we’re quite proud of given how dry this time of year is.
Chandanyili had high sales at their solar business, and with some saving the entrepreneurs will be set to buy new batteries once the old ones wear.
Challenges:
The biggest challenge in April is dry dugouts. Many communities have to travel further to get water during this month, so encouraging the entrepreneurs to keep the water centers going is important!
Kasuyili’s water center closed this month, but Wahab sat with the chief and elders and discussed the problems. It was agreed that changing the women running the center would help get the business working again. Wahab will be checking on them in the following weeks.
Ayishetu from Takpuli charges customer’s phones. She tells Amin that they have added 400 GHC to their savings account!
In Gidanturu, a new Fulani family comes to purchase water from Baramini, the entrepreneur there, for the first time.
Baramini sells water in Gidanturu
Good news for Kpaligini! Work is being done to expand their dugout.
Everyone is excited about the expansion.
The Tamale team for our weekly Friday meeting
“The women in Komlanyili and Bamvim. They are doing communal labor to construct their new road”
“Azara from Kpalguni shows her daughter how to charge things at the center in case she is not around” – Wahab monitors in April
Everything looking good at the Chandanyili solar center
At Chandanyili’s water source, however, everything is looking dry. Hopefully the rains will come soon!
“Today Amama was supposed to be working at the center, but she went to a funeral and let her daughter Safura stay back to take care of the center”
“Household vist” – Wahab monitors in April
“Sekina was about to scoop this morning” – Amin monitors in April
“School vacations at Kpanshegu – I once again reminded students to drink from the clean water when they are back home and re-educate their friends and family” – Amin monitors during April
“Barikisu says she has been getting sick all the time but since they have access to the clean water at their community she doesn’t experience it again” – Wahab monitors in April
Hawabu of Dundo is glad that they now have clean water – Eric monitors in April
This job is a challenge! Eric reports, “Had a flat tire yesterday. Gave me a long day. Got home very late and exhausted”.
Household visit – Wahab monitors in April
“She said she is glad having access to clean water in the community” – Wahab monitors in April
“This man is asking if the water they treat at the water treatment center has family planning in it” – monitoring questions like this are reasons that we keep going back! Luckily, working in 84 communities now, we have plenty of precedent to point to showing that the treated water has nothing to do with family planning – it’s the same process used in Tamale water treatment!
Asana from Warivi wanted to say high to the field reps that worked in her community.“Drinking clean water bought from the water treatment center” – Wahab monitors in April
“Adamu from Galinkpegu getting ready to purchase aquatabs” – Wahab monitors in April
Adamu from Galinkpegu and her family
“This girl from Yakura was showing what she uses the lantern for” – Shak monitors in April
“She called me to come check out her safe storage container because during my last visit she had an empty bucket” – Eric monitors in April
Hello everyone! My name is Lilly Prince. I am 26 years old, originally from Orlando, Florida, but now I currently living in Boston, Massachusetts. After graduating from University of South Carolina with a BA in Public Health, I journeyed to Ghana with Saha Global in the summer of 2013. I was a part of the first team to implement water businesses in the Salaga area. My team worked with the lovely people of Kideng village!
I was inspired when I discovered Saha Global and researched their mission and model. As an aspiring public health professional, I quickly took the opportunity to work in the field on a health problem I’m passionate about, to experience NGO program implementation first hand, and to immerse myself in a different culture. Saha Global is a sustainable, economically sound organization that is simply a facilitator in rural Ghana’s goal toward healthier communities. Learning more about the global water crisis through the daily lives of Ghanaians in low resource settings helped me become a better, more understanding public health professional.
My favorite memory while in Ghana was when our team held a big community meeting right in the middle of Kideng village. Almost all community members were present: children, mothers, teens, but most impactful to me were all the elders—men and women—sitting in the innermost circle. They listened intently as we made our water business pitch. (Yes, you have to convince your village that implementation will be beneficial to them!) The people of Kideng were enthusiastic and genuinely interested in what we had to say. This was so memorable for me because I know that this eagerness does not always happen; and our team was lucky to be working with a village that sincerely wanted to make a change to improve their overall health.
Although I graduated with a major in Public Health, Saha Global really opened my eyes to the urgency of health on a global scale. Participating in the Global Leadership Program allowed me to face and overcome many challenges that are common in global health work. I was able to take what I had learned in the classroom, and practiced those skills in a real-world setting. It was because of Saha Global that I decided to continue my education and pursue my Master’s of Public Health. Now, I graduated in May from Boston University School of Public Health with my MPH! (And looking for employment!)
I am very passionate about the impact Saha Global has on the people of rural Ghana and the impact on the Field Reps who implement. I would love to talk with anyone who is interested in becoming a Global Field Rep, already accepted and gearing up for the trip, or just curious about the organization! Do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected]. Also feel free to keep up with me here.
It’s been just over a week since we said farewell to the 2016 Summer Field Reps. Thanks to this group of amazing individuals, Saha partnered with 15 communities in Northern Ghana to open 9 new water treatment businesses and 6 new solar charging businesses, which provide jobs to 27 new entrepreneurs. 3,288 people now have permanent access to safe drinking water and 2,232 people have access to reliable, clean solar electricity. Additionally, 16 of our water entrepreneurs have now been trained to run solar businesses, increasing their earning potential!
We can’t believe that it’s been 10 days since we packed our bags and loaded up together for the last time – surprisingly on time and without technical difficulties, a real Tamale miracle! We are so grateful for the energies, talents and passions that you brought to Saha, which were essential to the opening of these new water and solar businesses. It is no exaggeration to say that because of you, thousands of people are living their lives with more opportunities for health and happiness. It was a pleasure to work with each and every one of you, and we are so lucky to continue to have you as members of the Saha Team! As head off to your next impactful endeavors, remember your community and Saha, and let us know what we can do to further your missions.
To quote Kpanshegu’s chief, as he related to Team Amin during their Chief Meeting, “There is currently a shift in the consciousness of the African culture to realize that they [the villagers] deserve it [clean water, electricity, education,etc.]. True knowledge is not knowing English or how to read or write, but rather it is the recognition of who you are and what you need to do; and if you explain that this [business] is theirs and that they need to work with you for it, that they will appreciate it and make it their own. And those who have knowledge and do not share it with others will be cursed by god whether they know it or not. It is your job with knowledge to pass it on to others and facilitate that change.”
Week 5:
Jarayili, Libi, Gbung, Gidanturu, Chanaayili, Kushini, Chongashe, Kagbrashe, Kagbal, Kuruguvuhuyayili, Zanzugu, Zanzugu Yepala, Balomposo, Changyili, Yakuru, Galizengu, Laligu, Kpalyn, Tijo, Tindan I, Sagbargu, Chandanyili, Kpalguni I, Sagbarigu, Warvi, Naha, Galinkpegu, Chihigu, Cheshagu, Kpaliga, Namdu I, Namdu II, Gundaa, Kpalguni II, Futa, Wovugumani, Wovugu, Janakpen, Gburma, Manguli II, Tapkli, Yepala, Kpanshegu, Komlanyili, Gbandu, Garizegu, Kuldanali, Bogu, Tindan II, Kpanayili, Komlanyili, Kalinka, Tohinaayili, Nekpegu, Kulaa, Kudula, Moya.
Successes
The percentage of clean water in households that were monitored this month was 84%! This is progress that we are very proud of because it is the third month in a row with over 80% usage. The following water businesses had high sales: Yepalsi, Naha, Moya, Gidanturu, Kpalguni II, Yepala and Sakpalua. Our solar businesses have seen great successes this month. Chandanyili had high solar sales and two additional lanterns were sold in our communities! Gundaa was able to buy extra cell phone chargers this month to support their solar charging center. 42% of the solar businesses have opened bank accounts with the hopes that Chandanyili will open a bank account very soon.
In March we also celebrated World Water Day with a day-long conference at our Tamale office with some of our our water entrepreneurs. The team brought together water business owners from our highest and lowest performing partner communities and lead a day of sharing sales techniques, advice, and community engagement strategies. As always, the conference was a lot of fun and a great success.
clean water being stored correctly in a safe storage containerCommunity meeting in Kapchiyiliclean water from the Saha businessWahab chatting with the women who cook at the school in Gundaa about the importance of serving only clean drinking water at the schoolWahab speaking with the school children in Gundaa about how water affects healthWahab’s friends at a household in Gunnda. Everyone is excited about drinking clean water!Peter at the water business in KidengAsana starts her morning at the solar charging center by checking the battery charge on all of her customer’s cell phonesToday Kpenchila’s solar entrepreneurs met to discuss sales and their savings since opening their bank accountCharging cell phones!Eric making friends while checking in at Komlanyili’s water business
Challenges
There are a number of communities that have had to close their water business due to dry dugouts. These communities include Karayili, Kpalbusi, Chanaayili, Zanzugu, Zanzugu Yepala, Galizengu, Yakuru, Chihigu, Chandanyili, Jagberin and Kpachiyili. There were also a few communities that had issues with their water businesses and had to close for a while until they were able to reopen. These communities include: Original Kabache, Kasulyili, Dundo and Jabayili. We are working with these communitites to find solutions to their problems. As always, entrepreneurs are always encouraged to make announcements when the water centers are available for business!
Leaky buckets are always a challenge, but each time it happens is an opportunity for training. Here Amin and Peter (not pictured) are training a new Saha translator and a Fulaniwoman from Kpenchila, how to fix a leaky bucket.Another big challenge in our communities is dried dugouts. This photo was taken in Zanzugu Yipela. There dugout was dried for almost 2 months before the rain started up and the community was forced to close their water business and travel elsewhere for water. In this photo, members of the community are digging the dugout deeper in hopes that it will not dry out next year.
Villages with problems at the solar centers are Chani, Nekpegu and Yepalsi. Chani and Nekpegu had lamp battery problems with their solar business. Our staff has been working with the women entrepreneurs to solve these battery issues. Additionally, Yepalsi has a broken inverter, which we hope to be replaced soon.
For detailed, week by week monitoring reports from March, click here.
Two days ago we successfully opened a water treatment center in the village of Tantuani. After such an exciting day, we enter the last phase of implementation: monitoring. This is the beginning of weekly checks on the village to ensure that the water treatment center continues to run smoothly into the future. We returned to the village for random household checks just to ensure everyone was following the rules associated with the safe storage containers. In teams of two with our translator Amina by our side, we inspected eight households. Entering each household, we checked the safe storage containers to make sure they contained clean fresh water from the Polytank or rainwater taken directly from metal roofs. We thoroughly explained to members of each household the importance of keeping the safe storage containers clean and isolated in order to avoid recontamination of the water from other materials within the household. We made sure each household we visited understood the importance of drinking clean water rather than water from the dugout. They were able to clearly convey why this new water treatment center was beneficial to their health and the impacts it already has on their family members, especially the children. Many households we visited praised us for coming to their village and for implementing such a useful business. The best part of monitoring so far was seeing our samples from the households’ safe storage containers test negative for fecal contamination and e.coli. Keep it up Tantuani, we love you!
– Amina, Ashley, John H., Kate, and Lauren
Ashley checks a safe storage container while monitoring.Lauren snaps a selfie with Tantuani’s new entrepreneurs!Clean water in Tantuani!
Team Peter here reporting with an adventure in Ghana Time! We joke all the time that no day would be complete for our team without some sort of mishap to throw off our schedule, and today was no different. After previous baboon attacks, dumping contaminated water on our driver, and some stomach ulcers, today we have a car problem that blew all of our previous flat tires out of the water (pun intended).
We were on our way to the village after early morning mass and mosque for some team members when we woke from our naps to our normally calm translator screaming at us to get out of the car! We ran out so quickly that Julia forgot her shoes, but we all made it safely out…at this point, we could all smell the engine more or less burning. Apparently the wires had literally melted. Luckily, after a few minutes (during which time Swap and Iddrisu started working out at the side of the road), our fantastic program directors had made a bunch of calls and per usual fixed the problem with a new driver.
…until that driver also got a flat tire. Go figure.
So, eventually, we made it back to our guesthouse, where we were in time for lunch (woo!). Julia is in love with jollof rice, and if you ever make it to Ghana, you have to try some.
FINALLY (after searching for the ever elusive Swap for like 20 minutes) we made it to the village with a new taxi. There, we got to do some monitoring of the water business we had just set up. We are so proud to be working with Sahada, Zenabu, and Miriam, and it was so exciting to see the community support them as well! Although there were a few hiccups with the households we monitored, it was good to meet face to face to deal with the problems directly. Two people were trying to find a time to fill their buckets, one did not understand that the water should be accessible to everyone in the household and locked it up, and one person had (ugh) tricked us into giving him a second bucket. Luckily, we were able to address all these problems, and we look forward to seeing even greater health for the village of Kpingyili in the future!
Anyway, our normal taxi is back from the shop – we were missing Iddrisu! Wish us luck on our last day at the village. We are so honored to have been a part of the Global Leadership Program, and can’t believe it’s almost over. See you soon USA and Brazil!
Opening Day is arguably the most exciting day for the village during the process of starting the water business. It is the first day that the community can purchase clean water. While driving through large puddles on the way to our village, we all were thinking that, because of the rain, the community of Dawunyili may have decided to collect rain water with their buckets instead of coming to the water center. As we pulled up to the village, we found we were alone with a bunch of goats.
Just as we started to get a little nervous that no one would come, we saw a blue bucket in the distance, balanced on the head of one of the women. One by one more women and children came with the safe water storage containers and before we knew it, Opening Day had started! The women entrepreneurs had everything in control. Gurimpaga and Abiba were washing each safe storage container while Amama filled the 20 Liters full of clean water and kept track of how many people bought water. While the women were effectively running the business, Team Simply fixed leaky taps and sat back to watch as each bucket was filled.
By the end of the morning, we lost count of how many buckets were filled since we were caught up in the moment. Thankfully, Amama kept a tally of the people and we were thrilled to count the totals and realize that every single household from the village and the Fulaani came to get clean drinking water! Team Simply was “killing the game” (a common phrase used by the best team leader, Simply).
We have heard stories of gifts given to Saha Global on Opening Day, but when we saw that all of the community had filled the water containers, we realized how the community felt about getting access to clean water. Opening Day in Dawunyili village encompassed our daily interactions with the people in this community. It was perfect. Everything went well and the experience was fun, laid back, and overall joyful. Throughout the morning, we recognized that the village was excited to incorporate the water center into their lives.
Team Simply is excited to return to the village to monitor after a day off. In addition, we are excited to work with the younger kids and educate them about the importance of keeping the water clean in their homes. It will be hard to leave this amazing community, but we know we have made amazing new friends that we will never forget.
After the solar project was implemented, Team Eric began monitoring the business and individual households to see the community’s response to our project and make sure that everything’s running smoothly.
Photographed by: Ayodele Mason
Since the project is mainly finished, we were finally able to get some of that beauty sleep back and wake up a bit later, at 7 o’clock, in the morning. After a long drive to the village, we first checked out our village’s dugout and the polytank there to make sure that the previously implemented water project is working successfully to provide clean water to the village. Komlan Yili’s dugout is actually a stream that is a long walk from the village. The water levels rise later in the rainy season, so the villagers have built a bridge that people can use to cross over the stream during these times of the year to reach villages further down the road. The wood for the bridge is replaced every year to ensure that it is safe to walk on. Still, it’s pretty scary and super uneven. It’s one of the many quirky and amazing things about Komlan Yili.
Photographed by: Ayodele Mason
After checking on the polytank and finding no problems, we met with Safiatu and Nina, the water and solar entrepreneurs to discuss how the solar business is going since opening night and to hear about any water business updates. Everything is going well and it is clear that the business is in great hands.
Next, we visited nine households to ask about their lanterns and safe storage water containers. We learned that one woman had already gone back to the charging station even though her batteries were still charged, just for fun! It was great talking to women in each of the households and hearing all of the ways they were already using their lanterns at night (cooking, the kids doing homework, and processing shea nuts). It was amazing to see how much we had already been able to impact these people’s lives.
At the end of the day, Safiatu took us to her household for a good ending to our day. Our translator, Eric, has been looking for a pet kitten and Safiatu had three baby kittens! They were all so cute, Eric is going to buy two now instead of one.
Ayodele with a kitten
Monitoring has been a great part of this experience, because now that most of our work is done, we can see how these businesses are impacting people’s lives. It is also a great opportunity to just talk to people on a more individual level and learn about their daily lives. We are definitely not ready to leave Tamale yet, but it is good to know that the business that we helped to create will continue after we leave.
