Colombia – Improving Hygiene and Access to Safe Water – Action Against Hunger 2016

March 2016 – Colombia continues to be plagued by a long-standing armed conflict. An estimated 6.5 million people are either displaced within the country or have sought refuge in Ecuador and Venezuela. Consequences of the conflict include forced displacement limited mobility of people goods and services forced recruitment of children and young people by armed groups as well as sexual and gender-based violence. In 2015 850 000 people were affected by mobility restrictions and constraints to access assistance and basic services. There are 5.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance including access to safe water adequate sanitation and hygiene systems health care services in rural areas protection as well as timely food assistance and nutritional support. With GAC’s support Action Against Hunger is addressing the basic water sanitation and hygiene needs of up to 15 600 conflict-affected people in the departments of Nariño and Putumayo. Project activities include: (1) providing and rehabilitating water tanks and water filter systems for up to 1 900 households; (2) distributing up to 720 basic hygiene kits and hygiene vouchers; (3) constructing rehabilitating or repairing up to four collective basic sanitation systems; (4) providing basic sanitation facilities for up to 350 crisis-affected people; and (5) training on basic hygiene practices and hygiene promotion for up to 3 050 crisis-affected people.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) improved access to safe drinking water; (2) increased access to basic sanitation facilities; and (3) improved basic hygiene practices. The expected intermediate outcome is the reduced vulnerability of crisis-affected people especially women and children.