Clean Water Initiative
Year of Implementation: 2025
Background
In 2025, Savana Signatures implemented the Clean Water Initiative in the Sibi community of Nkwanta North District in the Oti Region, with funding support from the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) Match Fund Project and the Wilde Ganzen Foundation. The initiative responds to longstanding challenges faced by the community due to limited access to safe and reliable drinking water, which has had far-reaching implications for health, education, and overall quality of life.
For many households in Sibi, water scarcity has increased exposure to waterborne diseases and placed a heavy physical and time burden on women and girls, who often walk long distances to fetch water for domestic use. The lack of a dependable water source has also affected social services, including education and health delivery, making access to clean water a critical development priority for the community.
Strategy
As part of the project rollout, the Savana Signatures team engaged community members, including women, men, youth, and traditional leaders, to introduce the initiative, gather local perspectives, and strengthen community ownership of the intervention. These engagements created a platform for dialogue, ensured community needs and expectations were well understood, and reinforced collective responsibility for the sustainability of the project.
Building on this participatory approach, the project is installing a mechanised borehole designed to meet community standards and support long-term functionality. The intervention prioritises durability, accessibility, and community-led management to ensure sustained access to clean water beyond project completion.
Key Highlights
In late 2025, borehole drilling commenced, marking a major milestone toward improving access to clean and safe water for hundreds of residents in the Sibi community. Upon completion, the borehole is expected to significantly reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases, lessen the physical and time burden on women and girls, and create improved conditions for education, household wellbeing, and economic participation.
Through the Clean Water Initiative, Savana Signatures reached a total of 9,299 people through a combination of direct community engagement and online outreach. Thirty community members were directly engaged during project activities, including twenty-three men and seven women, ensuring inclusive participation across gender groups. In addition, 9,269 people were reached through online platforms, extending awareness of the initiative beyond the immediate project community.