The French Embassy on Friday presented GH¢126,099 to Simli Aid, a non- governmental organisation aimed at improving the economic situation of poor women and developing sustainable livelihood through ecological sanitation in Tamale.

A statement from the Embassy in Accra and copied to Ghana News Agency said Mr Frederic Clavier, the French Ambassador, presented the amount to Mr Mahama N. Ziblim, Programmes Director of Simli Aid.

Through its Fund for Social Development, the French Embassy aims at supporting civil society organisations in a number of development related sectors such as economic empowerment, food security and water, hygiene and sanitation.

The statement, said the project aims at creating opportunities for 50 poor and marginalised women to increase their income and overcome their poverty.

It would also resolve the sanitation and hygiene needs of about 400 people in the Nalung Electoral Area of the Tamale Metropolis by constructing two aqua-pit latrines on pay-for-use basis.

“The women will set the user charges and community members will pay and use,” the statement said.

It said the construction technology would be adopted to incorporate Ecological Sanitation techniques that would enable the waste products to be transformed into compost for farming.

It said work would be done with the Metropolitan Assembly and the University for Development Studies.

The statement said the aqua-pit latrines would serve to promote a balance in harmony between sanitation promotion and sustainable environmental management approaches.

It said financially, the latrines would self generate income through user fee charges which would be used to boost the income of the beneficiaries after all recurrent expenses are made, adding: “This income from the latrines will encourage savings by the beneficiaries and eventually result in long term capital mobilisation and investments.”