World Vision Ghana (WVG) has launched an awards scheme to recognize and reward versatility, innovation and excellence in the delivery of safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene services in Ghana.

Dubbed the “Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Stewardship Awards”, it is meant to motivate prospective recipients to redouble their efforts towards the realization of WVG’s vision for every child.

Over the years, WVG has chalked remarkable achievements and made significant contributions towards increasing access to safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene practices in deprived communities across the ten regions of Ghana.

These interventions have impacted positively on maternal and child health and resulted in accelerated socio-economic development.

Mr David Purnell, National Director of WVG, said it was against the backdrop of these achievements that WVG believed that it was time to recognize the sacrifice of hard working staff, development partners, local and private sector partners, WASH sector players and media practitioners whose efforts have resulted in WVG’s success story.

He said for WVG, WASH remained a top priority because it was fundamental to improved health outcomes, quality education, poverty reduction and socio-economic development.

Mr Purnell noted that unsafe water, unimproved sanitation and poor hygiene practices reduce productivity and increase healthcare costs, which tend to trap communities in a perpetual cycle of poverty.

He said after 30 years of WASH implementation, WVG had invested over US$75 million in its WASH programme delivering 3,471 boreholes fitted with hand pumps, including 99 manually drilled wells.

In furtherance of its commitment to increasing access to improved WASH services, he said, WVG had heavily invested in water provision equipment and infrastructure, including the acquisition of two rock-buster drilling rigs, two portable drilling rigs, and truck mounted compressors, haulage and support trucks for hauling gravel and carrying hand pumps and other drilling materials.

Categories for the WASH Stewardship Awards are: Best Cluster-WASH services, Best Cluster Manager, Best performing drilling team, Best project officer and most outstanding staff in WASH service deliveries.

Other categories are: Best District Assembly, Best Local partner, and Best WASH ambassador.

There is also a media category to recognize versatility and consistent publication in support of improved WASH services delivery through the power of print, radio, television and the internet.

The awards in the media category are: Best television station, Best radio station, Best newspaper, Best website/blogger and Best media practitioner promotion in WASH promotions.