Speaking at the All Systems Connect global symposium held in Hague, Netherlands earlier this month, a Child Sanitation diplomat, Miss Maame Akua Ohenewaa Gyimah explained that children, when given the right education, environment, and platform would contribute to the fight against WASH related issues.

In addition, she noted ensuring that children had access to improved WASH facilities and services would enable them grow up healthy, study well in school and enjoy their childhood life.

Organised by the IRC Wash, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the symposium which brought together more than 700 change makers and system leaders provided the platform for the discussion on how to build resilience with water, sanitation, and hygiene.
“I know that the people attending this symposium are coming from all over the world, so I stand in front of you today, on behalf of children all over the world, to ask for speedy action to ensure that all children have full access to improved WASH facilities and services so that we can grow up healthy, study well in school and enjoy childhood”, Miss Gyimah said.

Miss Gyimah further asserted that as a child diplomat, she had been able to co-create a positive change in her school and community after she had an appeal to have a toilet facility constructed granted.

According to her, the appealed was made when she was invited to deliver a speech at a conference in Mole last year, after which the Deputy Minister for Sanitation, and Water Resources took notice and promised to act on it.

She indicated that the toilet facility for her school was currently under construction through the GAMA Sanitation and Water project following her appeal, and therefore thanked the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah for coming to the aid of the school.

Miss Gyimah noted that she intended to use her influence to help not only her school, but to advocate that every child in every school and had a decent toilet facility to use.

The Child Sanitation diplomat also encouraged the youth to be sanitation system leaders in their homes, communities, and everywhere they found themselves.

She lauded the organisers of the symposium for the initiative and also thanked the World Vision Ghana, King Halls Media, Zoomlion Foundation, the GAMA project, CONIWAS, the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, and the Ghana Education Service for making her participation possible.