Prepared by Lindsey Assamouah Abotsi
GODOU, Côte d’Ivoire — In the rural heart of the Lôh-Djiboua region, a shared vision for community health and sustainable development took root as 645 residents gathered under festive banners for a landmark celebration. On August 27th, 2026, the community of Godou officially opened the door to the third year of a transformative life and healthy community – the provisionary build of clean water, sanitation, and hygiene – (WASH) initiative, backed by Habitat for Humanity Canada and implemented by Habitat for Humanity Côte d’Ivoire (HFHCI)
For decades, Habitat for Humanity Côte d’Ivoire has worked alongside communities across the country to address the housing deficit, promote access to decent and affordable housing, and improve access to safe water and sanitation.
Through its latest three-year initiative, the organization is strengthening water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure in rural and cocoa-producing communities. Thus far, 6 high schools have each been equipped with a public latrine and a water borehole, while 2 out of 3 WASH awareness activities have been conducted across nine villages. The initiative also seeks to provide a capacity-building and health education to 2500 community members and train 1800 students on hygiene practices, as of now 1986 community members in diverse sectors have been trained and 1200 students have been trained on hygiene practices. These trainings have equipped the community members of Loh-Djiboua with knowledge and behaviors that can contribute to healthier and more resilient communities.
Building on these efforts, the initiative continues to focus on cocoa-producing families and rural households, investing in resilient water infrastructure and sanitary facilities in schools while empowering students and community members with the knowledge and skills needed to adopt critical health and hygiene practices.
The launch event in Godou reflected the deep community-wide ownership of these goals, drawing an impressive crowd of 529 adults and 116 children. Highlighting the profound, multi-generational impact of these efforts, Jean-Jacques Yao, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Côte d’Ivoire, emphasized the organization’s core mission during the celebrations:
« This milestone represents our unwavering commitment to placing families and local communities at the center of development. By addressing critical needs in water, hygiene, and sanitation hand-in-hand with our partners and local authorities, we are laying the groundwork for healthier, more resilient futures where every child and parent can thrive with dignity. »
Local voices echoed this sense of optimism. « It brings me joy to see my village working hand in hand with Habitat for Humanity. Thanks to this partnership, the younger generation will finally have safe and proper public latrines to use. » shared local resident, Sankara Moussa.
With strong administrative backing, traditional leadership, and active community participation, the successful rollout in Godou heralds a vibrant new chapter of health, education, and sustainable growth for the Lôh-Djiboua region.
