Setting goals and objectives for a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) project proposal is crucial for defining the project’s purpose, scope, and desired outcomes.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you set effective goals and objectives for your WASH project proposal:
- Understand the context: Begin by conducting a comprehensive needs assessment and situational analysis. Identify the specific WASH challenges, gaps, and opportunities in the target community or area. Consider factors such as water availability, sanitation facilities, hygiene practices, health issues, social and cultural aspects, and environmental considerations.
- Define your overall goal: Your goal should reflect the long-term vision or desired outcome of the project. It should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For example, your goal could be to improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities for a specific number of households in the target community by a certain date.
- Identify objectives: Objectives are the specific, measurable steps or outcomes that contribute to achieving the overall goal. They should be realistic, time-bound, and aligned with the broader goal. Consider the following aspects when formulating objectives:
- Water: Determine the desired outcomes related to water access, quantity, quality, and reliability. For example, an objective could be to provide clean and sustainable water sources within a 10-minute walking distance for all households in the target community.
- Sanitation: Define objectives related to improved sanitation facilities, waste management, and behavior change. For instance, an objective could be to construct and promote the use of hygienic latrines in at least 80% of households in the target area.
- Hygiene: Set objectives focused on promoting positive hygiene practices and behavior change. This may include objectives such as increasing handwashing with soap at critical times, promoting menstrual hygiene management, or conducting hygiene education sessions in schools and communities.
- Determine indicators and targets: Indicators are measurable parameters that help assess progress towards achieving objectives. Identify specific indicators for each objective that can be quantified, such as the percentage increase in access to clean water sources or the number of hygiene education sessions conducted. Set realistic and measurable targets for each indicator, aligning them with the project’s timeframe and available resources.
- Consider sustainability and impact: Incorporate elements of sustainability and long-term impact in your goals and objectives. Think about how the project will contribute to community empowerment, local capacity building, and the establishment of mechanisms for ongoing maintenance and monitoring.
- Ensure alignment and coherence: Make sure your goals and objectives are coherent, interconnected, and aligned with the overall project design and activities. They should support each other and collectively contribute to achieving the desired WASH outcomes.
- Monitor and evaluate: Plan for regular monitoring and evaluation of your project’s progress. Define the data collection methods, tools, and frequency of assessments to track the achievement of objectives and make necessary adjustments along the way.
Remember, WASH projects should be community-driven, context-specific, and participatory. Engage with stakeholders, including community members, local authorities, and relevant organizations, to gather input and ensure that your goals and objectives align with their needs and aspirations.
