Check out this awesome blog update straight from the field! Clare Mcinerney, our Water and Microfinance Adviser based in Ghana, shared this update about the Water Brigades team:
In October, students from the communities of Srafa Aboano and Ekumfi Egyankwaa in Ghana, met at the school in Egyankwaa for the first ever “Global Brigades Water Club Quiz Competition.” With three competitors from each club and a room full of supporters from both schools, Global Brigades Ghana staff and local teachers conducted three rounds of timed questions on topics related to water health in general as well as the Rainwater Harvesting systems and filtration units implemented by Global Water Brigades this past spring.
In March of 2011, the first Water Brigade to Ghana comprised of students from Dublin City University in Ireland and the London School of Economics piloted the first two Rainwater Harvesting systems to provide the students and teachers of Srafa Aboano and Ekumfi Egyankwaa with access to clean drinking water throughout the school year. A complement to these systems was the distribution of water filtration devices known as LifeStraws, to aid the schools through dry seasons when rainwater may not be sufficient. Brigaders led education and training programs on system use and maintenance with each school’s Water Club comprised of students from various classes and age groups. The Water Clubs are in charge of distributing harvested water from the polytanks to each classroom using a smaller covered storage container in order to provide sufficient, clean drinking water for all students and staff during school hours.
During the quiz competition, students were asked questions relating to the specific water filtration process and even demonstrated proper use and cleaning as part of the final round. Both Clubs displayed a high level of understanding and retention of information taught to them by Brigade groups back in March and the final score showed only a single point difference between the schools. All competitors were awarded a small prize bag as well as a Single-person LifeStraw unit for use at home. The event was a great success, serving to strengthen ties between both communities and Global Brigades and will surely be the first of many Water Club Quiz Competitions to come.
