Why Water Matters
Access to clean water is the foundation of health. Without it, families face preventable illnesses, students miss school, and communities struggle to thrive. That’s why Global Water Brigades, part of Global Brigades’ Holistic Model, is expanding efforts in Ghana—bringing students, local leaders, and partners together to create lasting solutions.
From Honduras to Ghana: Adapting the Model
Global Water Brigades first began in Honduras, where student volunteers and community members worked side by side to design and build gravity-fed water systems. These projects transformed access to safe water for thousands of people.
But in Ghana, the situation looks different. The primary water sources in the Central Region are underground—sometimes more than 200 feet below the surface. Instead of mountainside springs, families often rely on small streams or stagnant pools where mosquitoes breed and waterborne illnesses, like Guinea Worm, spread quickly.
To meet these unique challenges, Water Brigades is working with Ghanaian partners to adapt our proven approach and co-create solutions with communities.
Current Projects & Innovations
In partnership with the Central Region Community Water and Sanitation Agency, Global Water Brigades is piloting projects designed to increase safe water access and improve health outcomes. These include:
- Rainwater catchment systems at schools and community centers
- Boreholes and wells to tap underground sources
- Water filtration and treatment technologies
- Limited-mechanized systems to expand household access
- Hygiene and sanitation education to ensure lasting impact
- By pairing infrastructure with education, these projects address not only the need for clean water but also the knowledge and habits that keep communities healthy.
Student Leadership in Action
As with every Global Brigades program, students are at the heart of this movement. Volunteers don’t just contribute labor—they collaborate with local engineers, community leaders, and families to ensure that each project is community-led and sustainable.
Every trench dug, every pipe laid, every educational workshop delivered is part of a bigger picture: a student-driven, community-powered effort to break the cycle of waterborne illness and empower long-term development.
Looking Ahead
Global Water Brigades in Ghana is still growing, but the vision is clear: expand safe water access, reduce preventable disease, and strengthen communities for the future. With the support of students, partners, and local leadership, these solutions will continue to evolve—and impact will ripple far beyond a single Brigade.
As Global Brigades celebrates 20 years of student-led impact, we’re committed to going deeper in Ghana and not only with Water Brigades, but also with our Medical, Dental, and Public Health Brigades. The need and opportunity are immense. To make it possible, we need more volunteers ready to step up and be part of the next chapter of this movement for global health.
Want to be part of the story?
Join a Brigade and help bring clean water and health equity to communities in Ghana and beyond.
