For many girls at Nkonya Senior High School in the Oti Region, daily life used to include a silent struggle, finding a safe, clean place to use the restroom. Broken facilities, long queues, and a lack of privacy made conditions difficult, especially during menstruation. Some students missed classes, while others stayed away from school on certain days.
That situation is now changing.
Sanitopia CIC, a UK-based community interest organisation founded by Ghanaian lawyer and philanthropist Richard Kojo Acheampong, has begun a campaign to improve sanitation and restore dignity in schools and underserved communities. The group has set a target to construct 10,000 modern sanitation projects across Africa by 2035.
At Nkonya SHS, Sanitopia has built a new 12-seater toilet facility for female students and completed an abandoned washroom block that had remained unfinished for years. A covered walkway now links the dormitory to the washrooms, allowing girls to move safely and comfortably regardless of the weather.
For many students, the intervention has brought a sense of relief.
“Before, some of us were embarrassed to go to the washroom because it was always full or not clean,” a student leader said. “Now we feel respected. We feel seen.”
A Mission Rooted in Dignity and Health
Sanitopia CIC emphasises that sanitation goes beyond buildings. Access to safe, clean facilities is tied to health, confidence, and equal participation in school life. Poor sanitation contributes to disease outbreaks and is a major factor behind absenteeism among girls who need privacy during menstruation.
The organisation works directly with school authorities and local leaders to ensure that facilities are properly managed and maintained, reinforcing ownership and responsibility at the community level.
More Than Toilets — Supporting Girls to Stay in School
Across many parts of Africa, inadequate sanitation remains a barrier to girls’ education. Without clean and secure facilities, some students choose to stay home, leading to reduced participation and, in some cases, eventual dropout.
Sanitopia hopes its work will help reverse that pattern.
“We are building facilities that protect dignity, health, and the future of every child,” said founder Richard Kojo Acheampong. “Sanitation is a basic human right, not a privilege.”
Looking Ahead
Sanitopia CIC currently operates in Ghana and is preparing to expand its work to other African countries. The organisation says each completed project brings it closer to a future where children no longer have to choose between dignity and education.
For the girls at Nkonya SHS, that future has already begun.
