Plan Ghana’s REAL Fathers’ Clubs Win Government Praise for Transforming Household Hygiene

By Samuel Asamoah

Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has commended Plan International Ghana for its “REAL Fathers’ Clubs Initiative,” describing it as a timely and innovative intervention that is reshaping household hygiene and strengthening Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) outcomes in low-resource communities.

Speaking at the opening of the 36th Mole Conference Series at the Marlin Beach Resort in Gomoa-Fetteh, the Minister said the initiative represents a groundbreaking shift in WASH programming by actively engaging men in areas traditionally considered women’s responsibility.

The REAL Fathers’ Clubs, implemented under the Integrated Package for Sustainable Development (I-PADEV) programme, brings together groups of men and trains them in basic WASH practices. Participants are supported to become role models in maintaining hygiene, promoting sanitation, and sharing household responsibilities, including childcare.

Minister Ibrahim noted that the initiative’s strategy of positioning fathers as advocates is dismantling long-standing gender barriers and creating more resilient households.

“By engaging fathers as champions, we are breaking down gender barriers and creating more resilient, healthier communities across low-resource settings,” he said.

Evidence from project communities shows substantial improvements in hygiene behaviour and household wellbeing. Handwashing among men in participating areas has increased by 78 percent, rising from a baseline of 34 percent. Fathers involved in the initiative are now more than three times as likely to take part in childcare and household hygiene tasks compared to non-participants. Sanitation has also improved, with 62 percent of households now having functional handwashing facilities near latrines, up from 18 percent at baseline. Additionally, participating households have recorded a 45 percent reduction in diarrhoeal disease among children.

The Minister urged sector stakeholders to scale similar community-driven approaches, stressing that sustainable progress in WASH depends on inclusive strategies that engage all members of the household.

The Mole Conference Series remains Ghana’s leading annual platform for policy dialogue, accountability, and partnership-building in the WASH sector.