Rural Water and Development Programme Ghana (RWDP Ghana) is committed to fostering healthy community development through the provision of WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Services, Food Security, Agro Development, Rural Medical Outreach, and Community Empowerment. These services, we believe are instrumental in accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Water is not just a basic necessity; it is a catalyst for health, education, and economic development. Recognizing its pivotal role, we have dedicated ourselves to implementing innovative and sustainable water solutions that empower communities, improve health outcomes, and foster economic growth.
Since our inception, we have worked tirelessly with local communities, government bodies, and international partners to identify, design, and implement water projects that make a tangible difference. Our approach is holistic, focusing not only on the installation of water systems but also on community engagement, education, and capacity building to ensure long-term sustainability.
A world where all deprived rural communities have access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation services, good hygiene practices and development leading to a healthy life.
Rural Water Development Programme of Church of Christ is a Christian non-governmental, development-oriented organization committed to improving the quality of life of rural communities through the provision of sustainable safe drinking water, sanitation facilities and community development services using participatory approaches and evangelism.
Rural Water and Development Programme Ghana (RWDP Ghana) has been in existence in the past 30 years working in rural communities in bringing them tangible hope through its development initiatives in the areas of: drinking water supply, sanitation and hygiene services and other community development interventions geared towards eradicating poverty and improving food security and nutrition as well as health status of community members.
RWDP Ghana remains one of the leading Christian non-governmental organizations in Ghana working in the Northern Regions with a specific focus on development initiatives that impact lives. Since its inception in the late 1980s, the organization has supported and is committed to empowering rural and deprived communities to take initiatives that contribute to ending water scarcity and improving the general well-being of Ghanaians.
The purpose of this strategic plan is to articulate the long-term range of direction and priorities for RWDP Ghana towards the attainment of its mission and vision. It is also to provide the roadmap for greater impact in the lives of rural community members, vulnerable populations and the poor. The overarching goal of this strategic plan is to improve the well-being of rural communities through sustainable development initiatives saving lives.
The strategic context for this plan was derived from the strategic vision of the Chief Executive Officer, AU Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.
RWDP Ghana has undergone a significant organizational transformation in alignment with the strategic vision of the Executive Council. The paradigm shift has called for changes in the structure of RWDP Ghana in making its visible in the pursuit of its core mission.Rural Water and Development Programme Ghana (RWDP Ghana) is a Christian not for profit organization established in 1989 and with core support from Churches of Christ in the United State of America / Ghana West Africa Missions (GWAM). The organization is a social programme of Churches of Christ Globally and is concerned with the social and economic needs of the poor and the needy in society.
It all begun with Josiah Tilton, a preacher from the US who embarked on a mission trip to Ghana to evangelize in the late 1980s. While on the evangelism mission in Ghana, he traveled to the Northern Region in the company of some brothers in Ghana led by Christian Nsowah, he was taken to Winchiki in the Saboba-Chereponi District. While there, he saw guinea worm problems in the community and other nearby villages. Josiah Tilton having the desire to help the people returned to the US to raise funds in tackling the challenge.
Josiah Tilton and the Churches of Christ in the US felt it was its responsibility not only to meet the spiritual needs of the people but also to support their physical and social development. Thus, a healthy population is critical to the success of its evangelization processes and vice versa. An initial US$80,000 was raised to drill 15 wells in Winchiki and its environs. Through the help of Manna International (Kevin McFarland) and World Vision Ghana, 15 wells were successfully drilled.
The Team led by George Chisholem and Josiah Tilton in the US raised additional funds to purchase a drilling rig and this led to the setting up of a substantive water well drilling unit to go along with the evangelization processes. A Three-member team led by Mr. Nathaniel N.S. Adams was put together to start the Water Well Drilling Project.
The original intent was to operate the water well drilling project for a period up to 5 years and then fold-up. When the 5 years period for the closure of the project was due, the work had expanded to an extent that much work needed to be done in several rural communities in the Northern Region which had no access to potable drinking water services and had a high incidence of guinea worm cases. This desire to meet the needs of the communities made it possible for the organization to continue its works. The Programme has since expanded to over 650 communities in different parts of the country. However, the concentration is still in the Northern Regions of Ghana.
Communities have access to potable water supply, appropriate sanitation facilities, adopt good hygiene and management practices on a sustainable basis
Communities have the appropriate and adequate knowledge, skills and facilities that will enable them to engage in viable, alternative livelihood (income-generating) activities in an environmentally sustainable manner
Community-based organizations have the capacity to effectively and efficiently mobilize and manage human, material and financial resources to implement relevant and sustainable programmes
Communities have improved economic livelihood and health
Communities have adequate information and knowledge through sustainable evangelism to enhance their spiritual development and growth
Our core values translated into value statements represent the hallmark of our culture as a not for profit organisation. They will be the enduring tenets that will guide us to achieve our vision and accompanying goals.