Deadline: 27-Jun-25
A new opportunity has been launched to strengthen water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services for rural and migrant communities in La Guajira, Colombia. This initiative is part of a broader effort to boost local capacity and ensure long-term, sustainable access to WASH solutions. Applications are currently being accepted for the second phase of a program dedicated to empowering communities through collective action.
The program builds on a successful first phase that ran from 2021 to 2024, during which over USD 13 million in public funds were mobilized to support 14 WASH projects, directly benefiting nearly 100,000 people. The new phase aims to deepen this impact by focusing on inclusive, evidence-based, and community-led development.
At its core, the initiative promotes the active participation of local stakeholders, especially children and adolescents, in shaping WASH solutions. Through participatory assessments and leadership training, communities are encouraged to take charge of planning, implementing, and maintaining essential services.
Another major component of the program is innovation. It seeks to implement water and sanitation systems that are customized for rural, ethnic, and dispersed areas. This includes nature-based solutions, clean energy sources, and resilient infrastructure such as handwashing stations, latrines, and water access systems managed by the community.
Sustainability and scalability are vital to the program’s success. One of its goals is to generate real-world data that can help scale successful models and inform public policies for rural water and sanitation. By doing so, it hopes to create long-term impact and institutional change.
The initiative also uses data and best practices to support the rights of children. It promotes ongoing improvements in WASH strategies that are both climate-resilient and centered on the needs of young people.
To be considered, applicants must demonstrate strong local experience in implementing WASH projects, particularly in the La Guajira region. Proposals should clearly define activities, results, and methodologies, and show how they will address long-term water scarcity, build community resilience, and influence local institutions.
Organizations are encouraged to align their proposals with the broader WASH strategy, including infrastructure development, hygiene promotion, behavior change, and capacity building. The deadline to apply is June 27, 2025.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.