What we learned in developing a sanitation social enterprise in Ghana
Welcome to the latest installment of this knowledge base where we focus on our social enterprise in Ghana. Sama Sama has evolved from simply selling latrines into a service provider focused on creating viable market-based solutions that address rural Ghanaians needs for safe and effective sanitation along the value chain. We’ve discovered how to build a motivated and energized sales force that gives women opportunities to lead, how to be smart about expanding geographically and adding additional products to our offerings, and how to increase usage through fun and innovative marketing.
Ghana Learnings
“Building resilience is at the heart of the work we support through our Vulnerable Children in Sub-Saharan Africa program at Helmsley, and an essential element of that is investing in projects that solve more than one problem at a time,” said Walter Panzirer, a Trustee at the Helmsley Charitable Trust. “Sama Sama’s model of creating sustainable sanitation in rural locations through a network of social entrepreneurs is a great example of how a market-based approach can accelerate the kind of progress we need. It holds incredible potential for improving more lives across Ghana and West Africa.”
Walter Panzirer, a Trustee at the Helmsley Charitable Trust
Ghana Sanitation Program Primary Donor
Ghana Sanitation Program Donors and Partners
iDE Develops Marketplaces for WASH Products and Services in the World’s Poorest Locations
Scale with quality impact
The goal for iDE’s WASH programs is not just to rack up numbers, but to aim for the greatest possible improvement in people’s lives. We do this by ensuring well-designed, aspirational products lead to satisfied customers who then influence their neighbors to adopt the same practices. We track our progress not only by counting how many sales are made, but also the impact that these products are having in reducing sickness, time spent in household labor, and overall well-being. Discover our history and meet our global team leaders.
iDE Global WASH Awards and Recognition
A microsite of ideglobal.org
