Ghana

The Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary and Community Lighting Project

The Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary is a conservation initiative that was established by the people of the Wechiau area in 1999.  To this day, it is owned and operated by traditional leaders and community members, and is managed by a board consisting of representatives from each of its contributing communities, completely independent of government involvement.  The sanctuary has noble intentions of offering protection to the native flora and fauna of the region, as well as providing the local residents with a source of revenue from visiting tourists.  Of particular interest is the hippopotamus population resident to the Black Volta River, the body of water which runs through the sanctuary.  One of only two remaining hippo populations within Ghana, this group of hippos represents a very important conservation priority.

Light Up The World has committed to a joint lighting project which will work to provide lighting for 17 distinct communities located near the Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary area. The program is being implemented by the Calgary Zoo, and has attracted the support and partnership of Canadian Hydro Developers, and Light Up The World Foundation.  From the work completed in previous initiatives, more than 1,100 LED lamps have already been installed in homes, schools, and clinics in the Wechiau area. The objective of this project is to continue with this work, and install lamps in an additional 246 households.

Light Up the World's solid state lighting systems will give bright and useful light to households in the communities around the Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary for decades to come. Families will continue to benefit from being able to work, cook, read, and congregate as a community into the evening. Additionally, the solar-powered lighting systems are emission-free and eliminate the need for burning kerosene fuel, which can easily ignite and cause terrible destruction. The solar-powered LED systems will also result in cost savings as kerosene will no longer have to be purchased on a regular basis by families for lighting their homes. 

This project is integrated with education, literacy, and medical initiatives to serve a broad region of over 10,000 people in the 40 kilometre Wechiau area. Project management, logistical support, and installation training will be provided by Canadian Hydro Developers for this project, and additional support will be provided by the Nature Conservation Research Centre (NCRC), and the Calgary Zoo.

Photos Courtesy of Grady Semmens.