The availability of soap at handwashing stations is a key requirement for the functionality of handwashing facilities and the prevention of faeco-oral disease transmission if used effectively. To promote the availability and use of soap for handwashing in households and schools, Centre for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (formerly Centre for Development Partnerships and Innovations) conducted practical training sessions in soap-making for women groups and schools in four communities within the Atiwa East District in Ghana. Mariama Amizu and Nasira Iddrisu, Programme Officers at Centre for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene prepared and successfully delivered the training.

Participants exhibited high interest in the training and some of the women even went ahead to start small businesses in soap-making and so are now producing and selling liquid soap. This intervention which was funded by Ernst Peyer Foundation of Switzerland as part of the Atiwa WASH Project has helped to make liquid soap more available for handwashing at critical times in households and schools. The Centre for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene has thus adopted ‘training in soap-making as an important component of hand-hygiene or handwashing promotion. Below are some photos from the training of the women groups and schools.