By Rosemary Irons | Director of Communications
The Project Maji team has been hard at work, driving from village to village throughout rural Ghana; visiting some of our most remote communities to hear real-life stories, learning how the gift of clean water has impacted so many.
Today’s story features the children of Abour Junior School, in the Bono East Region of Ghana.
Before Project Maji's intervention, the children at Abour were using the nearby pond for their drinking water, where local livestock would also come to quench their thirst. A turning point for the school was during the summer of 2018, when the children returned from their mid-term break. The teachers noticed that many of the children had high fevers and extended bellies, and knowing the potential risks, they wasted no time in calling in local Community Health Officers. Eleven children were selected for testing, and nine out these eleven were found to be suffering from Typhoid Fever; a deadly bacterial disease which can be spread through contaminated water. One boy of only 7 years of age was in such critical condition that he had to endure surgical intervention. A tragic outcome, particularly for someone so young!
Thankfully, every child that was suffering from Typhoid is now in good health. And it is with thanks to the support of our friends and strategic partners that this remains so. Abour School now has a Project Maji solar-powered water kiosk, giving the children, and the local community, sustainable access to clean, safe water for years to come. Teachers have reported a higher attendance rate and a higher academic record since Project Maji brought safe water access to the school; the children no longer have to miss class and walk long distances to quench their thirst, and they now have a reliable, safe water source to wash their hands every day. Ensuring the health, dignity, and wellbeing of these delightful children enables them to work towards their dreams, and achieve all that they can be.
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