The Coalition of Volunteering Organisations, Ghana (COVOG), in collaboration with the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre, has donated sanitation and hygiene supplies to the Kwashieman Anglican B Primary and 2 JHS in Accra, as well as the Tetteh Ocloo State School for the Deaf in Ashaiman-Adjei Kojo.
The initiative seeks to enhance hygiene awareness and promote environmental sustainability among students. As part of the initiative, COVOG also engaged students in discussions on volunteerism and entrepreneurship, equipping them with skills to explore self-employment opportunities.
COVOG President, Lilly Bright Tetteh, explained that the project aligns with broader efforts to address youth unemployment through volunteering, climate action and waste management. “Today, we are focusing on menstrual hygiene, ensuring that young girls have access to proper sanitary materials,” she stated.
She further highlighted a major setback for the Kwashieman Cluster of Schools—a fire outbreak on December 17, 2024 that destroyed sections of a two-storey building, including classrooms. As part of their intervention, COVOG replaced waste bins lost in the fire to support the school’s waste management efforts.
Project Youth Coordinator, Confidence Denkudi Adzo Fiatsi, underscored the employment potential of waste management, explaining that proper waste collection and recycling could create entrepreneurial opportunities for young people. “Recycling plastics and other waste into useful products such as baskets and bins can generate jobs for the youth,” she noted.
Anne Nyakoah Yeboah, the Coordinator for the School Health Education Programme (SHEP) at Kwashieman Anglican B Primary and 2 JHS, welcomed the initiative, describing it as a crucial boost to the school’s sanitation efforts. She emphasised the importance of waste segregation and highlighted the challenges girls face in accessing sanitary products. “Many girls miss school due to lack of sanitary pads. This support will go a long way in keeping them in school,” she said.
The donated items included: waste bins, handwashing equipment, tissue papers, sanitary pads, water drums and detergents. The partnership between COVOG and ECOWAS is expected to strengthen sanitation efforts in the schools while fostering a culture of volunteerism and social responsibility among students.
