Bole: Students of the Bole Senior High School (BOSEC) in the Savannah Region can now heave a sigh of relief as they no longer compete with reptiles and other wild animals in the bush in search of hideouts to attend to nature's call.
According to Ghana News Agency, the relief came after the Rotary Club of Wa, in partnership with the Rotary Club of San Jose, California, United States of America, commissioned a USD100,000 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and other education-related projects at BOSEC in November 2024. Aside from the possible attacks in the bush, the students were also saved from the risk of sanitation-related diseases such as typhoid fever and cholera resulting from open defecation, which was, hitherto, endemic.
The Kurabaso D/A Primary School at Bole also benefited from the USD100,000 project. Access to decent WASH facilities by students at BOSEC had been a major challenge, compelling them, especially the females, to resort to using open-air unclean bathrooms. The situation had negatively impacted the academic activities of the students, especially due to the psychological and emotional effects associated with defecating and bathing in the open.
To address the situation, the Rotary clubs provided a 32-unit bathroom fitted with modern shower accessories and a 20-seater bio-digester. They also renovated a 12-seater septic tank water closet toilet facility, all dedicated to the female students of the school. Additionally, they replaced four leaking overhead water tanks with stands, mechanized four existing boreholes to improve clean and potable water supply, and rewired two-story classroom blocks of the school.
At the Kurabaso D/A Primary School, the benefactors renovated a dilapidated three-unit classroom block with an office and provided 180 metallic dual desks. The partner Rotary clubs also drilled and mechanized a borehole with an overhead tank and renovated a four-seater bio-digester toilet facility for the school to enhance access to clean WASH services. These projects are expected to impact the lives of about 1,700 direct and indirect beneficiaries of the two schools.
The partner Rotary clubs initiated the USD100,000 project at BOSEC and Kurabaso D/A Primary School at Bole in April 2024 to alleviate the sanitation and related educational challenges. Madam Alfreda Eghan Afisah Yahaya, a member of the Rotary Club of San Jose, led the initiative to mobilize resources from the Rotary Foundation through her club, executed by the Rotary Club of Wa. Her visit to BOSEC years ago highlighted the poor conditions faced by schoolgirls due to inadequate WASH facilities, prompting the intervention.
At the Kurabaso Primary School, Madam Yahaya noted the poor state of the classroom block, leading to congestion. One classroom was considered a 'death trap' and was locked, forcing overcrowding in the remaining rooms, impeding effective learning. She emphasized the need for improved WASH facilities separate from those of the community.
At the project's commissioning, Madam Yahaya acknowledged the journey's challenges but credited perseverance and collaboration for the project's success. Mr. Zakarea Al-Hassan Balure, President of the Rotary Club of Wa, cited the project's completion as a testament to Rotary's kindness and commitment. Bolewura Sarfo Kutuge Feso I, the Paramount Chief of Bole Traditional Area, praised the intervention for enhancing education and dignity among female students.
Rotary International focuses on areas such as education, WASH, and health, aligning with the goals of these projects. Mr. Agambire, the Immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Wa, expressed joy over the project's impact on WASH, basic education, and literacy. Sustaining the projects is crucial, and committees have been formed to oversee their longevity.
Rotary is a global network of over 1.4 million members dedicated to creating lasting change. The Rotary Club of Wa, since its inception, has significantly impacted the Upper West Region in WASH, health, and education, supported by the Rotary Foundation and partner clubs. It has contributed medical equipment, executed water projects, and drilled boreholes, among other initiatives. Madam Yahaya also facilitated the formation of the Rotary E-Club Savanna, Ghana, to further Rotary's mission.