Clean Hands Saves Lives - Lifelong Impact

Project Report: Clean Hands Saves Lives

Organisation: Village by Village
Project: Clean Hands Saves Lives (CHSL)
Location: Rural Ghana
Focus Area: Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH)

Summary

The Clean Hands Saves Lives (CHSL) project continues to improve health outcomes for children in rural Ghana by combining sanitation infrastructure with long-term hygiene education. By installing toilet facilities, handwashing stations, and rainwater harvesting systems in schools — and reinforcing behaviour change through an 18-month engagement programme — we are equipping children with the tools and knowledge to prevent life-threatening diseases.

Handwashing with soap remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent diarrhoeal disease, a leading cause of child mortality. Through CHSL, thousands of children are gaining access to safe sanitation and developing lifelong healthy habits.

What We Achieved This Reporting Period

• Continued hygiene education sessions in participating schools

• Reinforcement visits to monitor handwashing compliance and facility maintenance

• Distribution of soap and maintenance of Veronica bucket handwashing stations

• Community engagement sessions involving teachers, chiefs, and parents

• Ongoing collaboration with local health and education authorities

Our integrated approach ensures that facilities are used properly and consistently — not just installed and forgotten.

Cumulative Impact to Date

Since launching in 2015, CHSL has:

• Reached 10,000+ children (ages 6–16)

• Installed sustainable, self-composting toilet blocks in multiple rural schools

• Installed rainwater harvesting systems to provide reliable water access

• Delivered structured hygiene education over 18-month cycles

• Strengthened partnerships with local education and health services

Children are not only washing their hands more consistently — they are becoming hygiene ambassadors in their homes and communities.

Stories from the Field

Teachers report visible reductions in absenteeism linked to illness. Students confidently demonstrate correct handwashing techniques during school assemblies and competitions. In several schools, children now remind one another to wash hands before meals and after toilet use — showing that behaviour change is taking root.

Community leaders have also publicly supported the initiative, reinforcing that hygiene is a shared responsibility.

Challenges

• Ensuring continuous access to soap in resource-limited communities

• Maintaining infrastructure in remote locations

• Sustaining behaviour change beyond the formal 18-month cycle

To address these challenges, Village by Village prioritises community ownership, teacher engagement, and local authority partnerships to ensure long-term sustainability.

What’s Next

• Expand CHSL into additional high-need rural schools

• Continue monitoring and evaluation visits in current project communities

• Strengthen community-led maintenance systems

• Increase outreach and awareness through digital platforms including Instagram

With continued donor support through GlobalGiving, we aim to reach thousands more children with life-saving hygiene education and sanitation access.

How Support Makes a Difference

Your support enables us to:

• Build and maintain school toilet facilities

• Provide rainwater harvesting systems

• Supply soap and handwashing stations

• Deliver long-term hygiene education

• Monitor progress to ensure sustainable behaviour change

Every contribution helps protect children from preventable disease and gives them a healthier start in life.

Links:

• CHSL Instagram