The Resource Centre Network (RCN) is an institutional partnership that seeks to promote Knowledge Management (KM) services within the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector in Ghana.

The process of establishing RCN originally started back in October, 2002 with series of investigative studies which informed decisions on priority activities. The Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) in association with TREND Group, WaterAid (Ghana), the IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre organized an Advocacy workshop on May 12/13, 2004 in Accra on knowledge management. Subsequently, four key sector organizations namely, Water Aid Ghana; Water Research Institute; KNUST- Department of Civil Engineering and TREND Group joined hands to form the nucleus of the Resource Centre Network (RCN) to spearhead knowledge management in the water and sanitation sector in Ghana. The outcome of the Knowledge Management Advocacy Workshop was the establishment of a Task Force which brings together about a dozen key organisations in May 2004. The activities of the Task Force were led by the CWSA and the Group met regularly until December 2006. Overall the Task force made positive gains in terms of advocacy aimed at raising awareness of knowledge management (KM). Key outputs of the group also included a Concept Paper for development of KM in the Sector.

However, the activities of the Task Force slowed down considerably in 2006 due to lack of funding. In 2008, the inception of new projects in the sector with a focus on knowledge generation and dissemination (UNICEF/WHO Water and Sanitation Monitoring Programme (WSMP), the Tripartite Partnership Project (TPP) led by TREND, the WASHCost and SWITCH Projects which are led by KNUST, and the West Africa Regional Programme of IRC, which supports RCN, etc.) provided a new impetus for the revival of the RCN. A Secretariat was set up  and a new National  knowledge management Coordinator, appointed since June 2008 to over see the activities of the Network  and Secretariat.A core group of knowledge focused organizations  was formed and have already  revived  and  is intensifying knowledge management activities in the sector. The current Phase of the RCN is governed by a steering committee and is anchored in the Water Directorate of the Ministry of Water Resources Works and Housing.

The RCN secretariat  provides the following products and services:

Learning platforms :The RCN organizes the monthly National Level Learning Alliance Platform (NLLAP) and periodically Regional Level Learning Alliance platforms (RLLAPs) where ride range of stakeholders in the WASH sector meet to discuss topical issues in the sector for purposes of learning and policy influence.

Sector Newsletter : The RCN  coordinates the production and editing of a national sector newsletter,WASHNEWS

Sector Website  (www.washghana.net): The RCN coordinates the update of the WASHGhana website. We also offer free publishing (on the website) of sector articles, reports and information on upcoming and/or past events and activities. The website, established and hosted by IRC International is regularly updated by the secretariat. The site has information on RCN and partners, sector calendar, upcoming and past events; news and themes on community, rural and urban wash; etc. There are also links to several other resource centre websites from across the globe. For publishing on the site please send your articles, reports and information to rcn@washghana.net

Brochure, Fact Sheets, and Thematic Papers: RCN offers information materials like the The WASH Reflections,(a two pager report on the monthly NLLAPs) Brochures, Ghana Fact Sheets, etc. These  short briefing notes in response to frequently asked questions provides information to key themes with reference to local situation. These papers are made available both in hard  as well as soft copy format, accessible on the sector website.

Training and Capacity building: The RCN encourages the building of a minimum capacity for knowledge management like, information storage and usage within each sector organization at the national, regional and district levels.

Establishment of Media Platform –‘WASH Agenda’ : RCN works closely with the (GWJN) to establish an interactive programme on WASH issues. This platform will bring key sector actors involved with WASH governance to interact, share with sector and non-sector audience.

Questions and Answer Service: The RCN offers enquiry services. the secretariat directly provides answers in response to specific problems and queries.

Sector Walk-in Library : The RCN has developed a Resource Centre ( library). Key sector publications are available to sector stakeholders,institutions and agencies.All  publications are also made available for downloading from the website, (www.washghana.net).

 Organization of Sector Learning Platforms:  The RCN  work closely with sector Ministries and agencies and umbrella groups like CONIWAS to  organise  annual sector leaning and sharing events like The Ghana Water Forum, NESCON,MOLE Conference series among others.

Documentation of Case Studies: The RCN  work closely with sector agencies and projects to document, analyze and  draw out the lessons from programmes and provide recommendations on the minimum conditions of success, helping to direct funding towards the most effective interventions.

For further information please contact,

The RCN Secretariat

H/No 18 Third Close Airport Residential Area

P.O. Box CT 9531, Cantonments, Accra.

Cell: 020 2110335

Email: rcn@washghana.net

URL: www.washghana.net