MONROVIA, LIBERIA-The Country Director of WaterAid Liberia says water supply has been a major challenge for many people in the country, especially in the rural Liberia.
Mr. Chuchu Selma said accessing safe drinking water for daily consumption and household use was a major task.
According to Mr. Selma, fragmentation was a factor undermining the provision of basic WASH services to Liberians, noting that several Government ministries and agencies at the time were involved in the implementation of WASH programs.
He indicated that the implementation of programs and governance in the sector was impossible, due to different roles and overlapping functions amongst government institutions.
“It brought about issues of access to water and supply,” Mr. Selma said.
The Charity’s Country Director revealed that his organization worked over the years with government structures, to solve the issue of fragmentation.
Mr. Selma said:” The platform used by his organization was to work along with the government informing the National Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Commission.”
“My organization, in 2011, started the process of forming the WASH Commission,” the Country Director asserted.
He disclosed that the process of Bio Digester Technology started with the Internal Affairs Ministry, the City Governments of Monrovia, Paynesville, and stakeholders who were providing WASH services.
“Another intervention in the Sector by my organization was in the area of sanitation”, Mr. Selma said.
The Country Director asserted that stakeholders were taken to Ghana to learn new technology about sanitation.
He indicated that the new alternative was Bio-Digester or Tiger Worms Toilet, and several communities in and around Monrovia have benefited from this new technology, naming St. Kizito, Bong Mines Bridge, and 72nd Communities as beneficiaries, and a manual was developed to maintain the facilities.
The WaterAid Liberia Head also talked about Menstrual Management and Hygiene program his institution is implementing, collaborating with the Ministries of Health and Education to implement the project.
The project is focusing on the improvement of sexual reproductive health rights for young and adolescent girls.
“Water and sanitation are key to Menstrual Management and Hygiene”, the charity Head said.
The project is supported by Global Affairs Canada, through WaterAid Canada.
