TAMALE: Catholic Relief Services (CRS), an international non-governmental organization, has donated 15 motorbikes to its partners in the North East and Upper East regions of Ghana. The vehicles are intended to aid the sustainability of the Integrated Community Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (ICOWAS) project, a six-year initiative aimed at improving water, sanitation, and hygiene services for over 307,000 people. According to Ghana News Agency, the motorbikes were distributed to partners in the West Mamprusi Municipality, Mamprugu-Moagduri District, and Talensi District, along with their respective Ghana Health Service and Ghana Education Service branches. The ICOWAS project, funded by the Helmsley Charitable Trust, is set to conclude this year and has been instrumental in the installation of water and sanitation facilities across the regions. Mr. Festus Fofie, the WASH Programme Director at CRS, highlighted the project's achievements during the handover ceremony in Tamale. The initiative has facilitated the construction of 94 boreholes, 10 mechanized water systems, 275 institutional latrines, 38 bathrooms, and 35 medical incinerators. Additionally, it has led to the certification of 197 communities as open defecation free and 14 as sanitized, while 50 healthcare facilities and 175 schools have been recognized as WASH-friendly institutions. Mr. Fofie emphasized the project's success and its adoption by the government and other development partners, including the Swiss Red Cross and the Kom Yilma project in Burkina Faso. He urged the beneficiaries to ensure the motorbikes are utilized and maintained for their intended purposes to maximize their longevity and impact. Expressing gratitude, Mr. Seidu Soalihu, the Mamprugu-Moagduri District Coordinating Director, assured that the motorbikes would be used effectively to support the project's goals.