Apply for Sanitation and Hygiene Improvement Programme in Rural Chocó (Colombia)

Deadline: 08-Jun-2026

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is inviting applications for a rural sanitation and hygiene programme in Chocó, Colombia, aimed at eliminating open defecation and reducing environmental fecal contamination. With an indicative budget of USD 500,000, the initiative focuses on community-led sanitation, hygiene promotion, WASH services, behavior change, gender equality, and sustainable community capacity building in the municipalities of Istmina and Quibdó.

The programme seeks to certify at least 30 rural communities as free from open defecation while strengthening local institutions, improving public health outcomes, and promoting sustainable sanitation practices through participatory approaches and evidence-based interventions.

Programme Overview

The UNICEF Rural Sanitation and Open Defecation Elimination Programme is designed to improve sanitation conditions, reduce health risks associated with environmental fecal contamination, and strengthen community ownership of hygiene and sanitation practices in rural areas of Chocó.

The initiative adopts a community-led approach that empowers families, local leaders, institutions, and communities to collectively address sanitation challenges and create sustainable behavior change.

The programme prioritizes public health improvement, environmental protection, community participation, and long-term sustainability through integrated WASH interventions.

Funding Information

• Indicative budget: USD 500,000
• Geographic focus: Rural communities in Istmina and Quibdó, Chocó, Colombia
• Target outcome: Certification of at least 30 rural communities as free from open defecation

Key Focus Areas

The programme supports activities related to:

• Basic sanitation
• Hygiene promotion
• Community-led total sanitation
• Elimination of open defecation
• Prevention of fecal contamination
• WASH service delivery
• Community capacity building
• Participatory development approaches
• Gender equality and inclusion
• Environmental health improvement
• Community mobilization
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Knowledge management
• Evidence-based programming
• Institutional coordination
• Sustainability planning
• Accountability mechanisms
• Prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse

Programme Objectives

The programme aims to:

• Eliminate open defecation in targeted communities.
• Reduce environmental fecal contamination.
• Improve hygiene and sanitation behaviors.
• Strengthen community ownership of sanitation solutions.
• Improve health outcomes related to waterborne and sanitation-related diseases.
• Increase access to safe sanitation practices.
• Promote gender-equitable participation in WASH activities.
• Strengthen local institutional capacity.
• Develop sustainable community-led sanitation systems.
• Generate evidence and learning for future replication.

What Is WASH?

WASH stands for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene.

WASH programmes focus on:

• Safe sanitation facilities.
• Improved hygiene practices.
• Access to clean water.
• Disease prevention.
• Environmental health improvement.
• Community wellbeing.

Strong WASH systems help reduce diseases such as diarrheal illnesses, intestinal infections, and other health conditions linked to poor sanitation and hygiene.

Target Communities

The programme targets rural communities located in:

• Istmina Municipality
• Quibdó Municipality

Communities are selected through a structured assessment process that evaluates:

• Existing sanitation coverage.
• Housing distribution.
• Community conditions.
• Nutritional indicators.
• Environmental sanitation risks.
• Public health concerns.

How the Programme Works

Phase 1: Community Assessment and Selection

Communities are evaluated and prioritized using diagnostic studies that examine:

• General community conditions.
• Sanitation infrastructure.
• Environmental health risks.
• Housing patterns.
• Community demographics.
• Nutritional status indicators.

The information collected guides intervention planning and resource allocation.

Phase 2: Community Pre-Activation

Before implementation begins, project teams:

• Identify influential community leaders.
• Engage decision-makers and local institutions.
• Conduct rapid community mapping.
• Assess environmental contamination pathways.
• Analyze sanitation and hygiene conditions.
• Identify barriers to behavior change.

Phase 3: Community Activation

The programme activates at least 50 communities through participatory methods designed to encourage collective action.

Activities include:

• Community mapping of contamination areas.
• Analysis of fecal contamination pathways.
• Household sanitation assessments.
• Community discussions on health impacts.
• Cost calculations related to illness and poor sanitation.
• Collective behavior change initiatives.

Participatory approaches encourage communities to take ownership of sanitation improvements through shared responsibility and local leadership.

Phase 4: Committee Formation and Capacity Building

Specialized community committees are established and strengthened to:

• Manage sanitation activities.
• Coordinate local implementation.
• Monitor progress.
• Support behavior change initiatives.
• Facilitate communication between communities and institutions.

Training and capacity-building activities help ensure long-term sustainability.

Phase 5: Post-Activation Support

Communities receive ongoing support through:

• Household hygiene sessions.
• Handwashing promotion campaigns.
• Safe water education.
• School-based hygiene activities.
• Community sanitation monitoring.
• Gender-inclusive participation strategies.

Regular follow-up visits help reinforce positive behavior changes and maintain progress.

Phase 6: Verification and Certification

A municipal verification committee is trained to assess whether communities meet the criteria for eliminating environmental fecal contamination.

Communities that successfully meet the standards receive recognition through ECOFAM certification and public acknowledgement of their achievements.

Knowledge Management and Evidence Generation

A major component of the programme focuses on learning, innovation, and evidence-based practice.

Activities include:

• Documentation of innovations.
• Collection of lessons learned.
• Identification of good practices.
• Analysis of sanitation service delivery models.
• Assessment of programme effectiveness.
• Development of replication strategies.
• Exploration of scaling opportunities.

Knowledge generated through the programme helps improve future rural sanitation interventions.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Accountability

The programme incorporates robust monitoring and evaluation systems to track progress and ensure accountability.

Activities include:

• Participatory monitoring systems.
• Community feedback mechanisms.
• Performance tracking.
• Outcome measurement.
• Continuous improvement processes.
• Accountability and transparency measures.

Monitoring data helps identify successes, challenges, and opportunities for programme improvement.

Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)

The programme integrates prevention measures throughout implementation.

Key actions include:

• Community awareness activities.
• Reporting and response mechanisms.
• Safeguarding protocols.
• Accountability systems.
• Training for project personnel and stakeholders.

These measures help ensure safe and ethical programme delivery.

Participatory Exit Strategy

To ensure sustainability, the programme develops participatory exit strategies involving:

• Community leaders.
• Local institutions.
• Municipal authorities.
• WASH committees.
• Community organizations.

The objective is to maintain sanitation gains after programme completion and strengthen local ownership of outcomes.

Who Is Eligible?

Potential applicants may include:

• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
• Community-based organizations
• Civil society organizations
• WASH-focused organizations
• Public health organizations
• Development agencies
• Institutions with experience in sanitation and hygiene programming
• Organizations capable of implementing community-led rural sanitation initiatives

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Experience in WASH programming.
• Community engagement expertise.
• Capacity to work in rural communities.
• Knowledge of participatory methodologies.
• Monitoring and evaluation capabilities.
• Commitment to safeguarding and accountability standards.

Why This Programme Matters

Poor sanitation and open defecation contribute to disease transmission, environmental contamination, and reduced quality of life.

This programme addresses these challenges by:

• Improving public health.
• Reducing diarrheal diseases.
• Strengthening community resilience.
• Promoting sustainable sanitation practices.
• Empowering local communities.
• Protecting environmental health.
• Advancing gender equality in WASH services.
• Supporting long-term development outcomes.

The initiative also creates a model that can be replicated in other rural communities facing similar sanitation challenges.

Tips for a Strong Application

• Demonstrate experience in WASH and sanitation programming.
• Highlight community mobilization expertise.
• Show evidence of successful behavior change interventions.
• Include strong monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
• Explain sustainability strategies clearly.
• Demonstrate gender-sensitive approaches.
• Integrate safeguarding and accountability mechanisms.
• Present realistic implementation plans and measurable outcomes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Failing to demonstrate community engagement experience.
• Presenting weak sustainability plans.
• Overlooking gender and inclusion considerations.
• Providing insufficient monitoring frameworks.
• Neglecting safeguarding requirements.
• Failing to explain knowledge-sharing strategies.
• Submitting unrealistic implementation timelines.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the total budget for the programme?

The indicative budget for the programme is USD 500,000.

Where will the programme be implemented?

The programme targets rural communities in the municipalities of Istmina and Quibdó in Chocó, Colombia.

What is the primary goal of the initiative?

The primary goal is to eliminate open defecation and reduce environmental fecal contamination through community-led sanitation and hygiene interventions.

How many communities are expected to be certified?

At least 30 rural communities are expected to achieve certification as free from open defecation.

What is ECOFAM certification?

ECOFAM certification is a recognition awarded to families and communities that successfully adopt and maintain improved sanitation and hygiene practices while meeting programme standards.

Does the programme include monitoring and evaluation activities?

Yes. Participatory monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and feedback systems are integrated throughout the programme.

Are gender equality and safeguarding included in the programme design?

Yes. Gender equality, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, accountability mechanisms, and inclusive participation are integrated into all stages of implementation.

Conclusion

The UNICEF Rural Sanitation and Open Defecation Elimination Programme in Chocó represents a significant investment in public health, environmental sanitation, and community-led development. Through WASH interventions, behavior change strategies, institutional strengthening, and evidence-based approaches, the programme seeks to create sustainable improvements in sanitation practices, eliminate open defecation, and improve quality of life for rural communities in Istmina and Quibdó.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.