Thanks to the borehole connection, people in sector 6 now have drinking water near their home (Ph, IRC Burkina, 2024)
Discover how empowering local leadership accelerates access to clean water and hygiene, ensuring a healthier future for the community
Published on: 09/12/2024
During Phase Three of the project (October 2023 to September 2024), IRC addressed a critical bottleneck in the urban water supply system. Despite efforts by the national water utility, ONEA, structural challenges left 6,000 households in Tenkodogo’s sector 6 without reliable water. IRC’s intervention bridged this gap by connecting two newly drilled boreholes to the water network, ensuring a steady supply for these families. This expansion also laid the groundwork for 500 additional households to join the system, directly impacting over 6,000 lives and fortifying the community against future water crises.
Water alone is not enough; it must be paired with good hygiene practices to safeguard health. In Tenkodogo, over 79% of the population had been unaware of the dangers of poor hand hygiene. To tackle this, IRC expanded its "Clean Hands, Good Health" campaign to 10 new schools, reaching over 4,000 students and their families. Equipped with 85 handwashing devices, these schools became hubs for spreading life-saving knowledge, with students acting as ambassadors of hygiene in their communities.
Local radio stations amplified the message, broadcasting hygiene tips in three languages, including Moore and Bissa, to reach over 158,000 listeners. A recent survey confirmed the campaign's impact: over 70% of respondents now practise regular handwashing, a step towards healthier communities.
The success of these interventions hinges on strong local governance. IRC worked closely with Tenkodogo’s mayoral office to build technical capacity and foster accountability. For the first time, the district held an annual WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) review, bringing together stakeholders to evaluate progress and align efforts. The adoption of this collaborative framework marks a critical step toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 6—universal access to water and sanitation by 2030.
As the project wraps up its third phase, the outcomes speak for themselves: improved water access for thousands, a dramatic shift in hygiene practices, and stronger local leadership. But the journey doesn’t end here. IRC and its partners are already planning the next phase to ensure that these gains are not only sustained but scaled to benefit more communities across Burkina Faso.
This story from Tenkodogo serves as an inspiring reminder that with the right partnerships and a systems approach, we can turn challenges into opportunities, one community at a time.
Explore the full impact of this initiative in this video and join us in supporting sustainable water and hygiene solutions for all.
