Water, Sanitation & Hygiene in Humanitarian & Development

Course Overview

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) are essential to public health, human dignity, and sustainable development. Effective WASH programs require not only strong technical implementation but also strategic planning, community engagement, and long-term sustainability.

This integrated course combines practical WASH implementation skills with advanced sustainable planning frameworks. It equips participants with the knowledge and tools to design, implement, and manage resilient, inclusive, and scalable WASH programs in both rural and urban settings.

Participants will gain hands-on experience in water systems, sanitation solutions, hygiene promotion, and project implementation, while also mastering strategic planning approaches such as the Sustainable WASH Model, multi-year programming, and geospatial coordination.

Course Objectives

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Understand core WASH concepts and their link to public health and development
• Apply the Sustainable WASH Model in rural and urban contexts
• Design and implement effective WASH programs and infrastructure
• Conduct water quality analysis and manage water supply systems
• Apply sanitation technologies alongside behavior change strategies
• Develop multi-year, integrated WASH plans aligned with national and global frameworks (SDGs)
• Use geospatial tools and data for planning and coordination
• Engage communities effectively, especially low-income and vulnerable groups
• Design sustainable financing strategies for WASH programs
• Monitor, evaluate, and scale impactful WASH interventions

Target Audience

• NGO and community development practitioners
• WASH officers and field staff
• Public health professionals
• Government and county officials
• Engineers and technicians
• Development and humanitarian workers

Course Structure

Module 1: Foundations of WASH & Public Health

(Building Core Knowledge and Context)

Key Topics:

• Introduction to WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene)
• Global water challenges and freshwater availability
• Water quality, contamination, and health risks
• Hygiene practices and disease transmission pathways
• Human rights to water and sanitation (SDGs)

Outcome:
Participants understand the foundational importance of WASH in health and development.

Module 2: Sustainable WASH Model Framework

(Strategic Planning for Long-Term Impact)

Key Topics:

• In-depth study of the Sustainable WASH Model
• Application in rural vs. urban settings
• Systems thinking in WASH programming
• Case studies of successful sustainable WASH interventions

Outcome:
Participants can apply structured frameworks to design sustainable WASH programs.

Module 3: Water Supply Systems & Infrastructure Development

(Technical Design and Implementation)

Key Topics:

• Water supply system design principles
• Borehole planning, siting, and drilling
• Procurement, contracting, and supervision
• Pump installation and maintenance
• Water quality testing tools and techniques

Outcome:
Participants gain practical technical skills for water infrastructure development.

Module 4: Sanitation Systems & Behavior Change

(From Technology to Adoption)

Key Topics:

• Sanitation technologies and service chains
• Pit desludging and septic management
• Reuse-oriented sanitation systems
• Behavior change approaches (CLTS, PHAST, CHAST)
• Sanitation marketing strategies

Outcome:
Participants can implement sanitation solutions that are both effective and socially accepted.

Module 5: Hygiene Promotion & Community Engagement

(Driving Behavioral and Social Change)

Key Topics:

• Principles of hygiene promotion
• Behavior change models (RANAS, HBM, COMBI)
• Designing hygiene campaigns
• Community engagement beyond awareness
• Linking WASH to social stability and public health

Outcome:
Participants can design impactful hygiene and community engagement strategies.

Module 6: Inclusive WASH for Low-Income Communities (LICs)

(Equity and Social Inclusion)

Key Topics:

• Identifying and targeting vulnerable populations
• Addressing socio-economic barriers in WASH access
• Inclusive planning and service delivery
• Urban informal settlements and rural disparities

Outcome:
Participants can design inclusive WASH programs that prioritize underserved communities.

Module 7: Multi-Year Planning & Integration

(Strategic Alignment and Scaling)

Key Topics:

• Multi-year WASH programming
• Integration with national policies and development plans
• Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Cross-sector collaboration (health, education, environment)

Outcome:
Participants can develop long-term, integrated WASH strategies.

Module 8: Geospatial Coordination & Technology Integration

(Data-Driven Decision Making)

Key Topics:

• Geospatial planning frameworks
• GIS and mapping for WASH coordination
• Real-time data collection tools
• Multi-level coordination (local to national)

Outcome:
Participants can use data and technology to improve WASH planning and efficiency.

Module 9: WASH Financing & Sustainability

(Ensuring Long-Term Viability)

Key Topics:

• WASH financing models
• Public, private, and community financing approaches
• Cost recovery and service delivery models
• Engaging private sector and investors

Outcome:
Participants understand how to fund and sustain WASH programs.

Module 10: WASH Project Implementation, Monitoring & Impact

(From Design to Measurable Results)

Key Topics:

• Project design and implementation planning
• Coordination and stakeholder management
• Monitoring and evaluation frameworks
• Measuring impact and success indicators
• Common challenges and adaptive solutions

Outcome:
Participants can successfully implement, manage, and evaluate WASH projects.

Training Approach

• Interactive lectures
• Case studies (rural and urban contexts)
• Group work and practical exercises
• Field-based examples and simulations
• Hands-on technical demonstrations

Final Outcome of the Course

Participants will leave with a complete skill set that combines:

• Technical implementation skills (water, sanitation, hygiene systems)
• Strategic planning capacity (sustainability, integration, financing)
• Community engagement expertise
• Data-driven decision-making tools