CFPs: Climate-Resilient WASH Program for Schools and Communities (Micronesia)

Deadline: 11-Sep-2026

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is seeking partners to support the implementation of climate-resilient, inclusive water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions in schools and communities across the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The initiative focuses on improving water security, sanitation, hygiene, climate resilience, gender responsiveness, and disability inclusion. The call for expression of interest aims to identify organisations capable of supporting locally led WASH interventions, strengthening institutional and technical capacity, piloting innovative water technologies, and generating evidence to inform future WASH programming and policy in FSM.

About the UNICEF WASH Partnership Opportunity

The initiative responds to significant water and sanitation challenges faced by communities and schools in FSM, a country highly vulnerable to climate-related risks. Climate pressures such as drought and saltwater intrusion can affect the availability and quality of freshwater resources. The programme therefore seeks to strengthen WASH systems so that schools and communities are better prepared to manage water security challenges and climate-related disruptions. The partnership opportunity is focused on practical implementation, capacity development, innovation, research, monitoring, and evidence generation. What Is WASH? WASH refers to water, sanitation, and hygiene. In this initiative, WASH interventions are designed to improve access to appropriate water and sanitation services while strengthening hygiene practices and ensuring that services are accessible and inclusive. The programme places particular emphasis on WASH in Schools (WinS), Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), gender responsiveness, disability inclusion, and climate resilience. Why Climate-Resilient WASH Is Important in FSM The Federated States of Micronesia faces climate-related challenges that can directly affect water security. Two key risks identified by the initiative are: - Drought. - Saltwater intrusion. These pressures can make reliable access to safe water more difficult for schools and communities. Climate-resilient WASH approaches can help strengthen preparedness and improve the ability of communities and institutions to maintain essential water, sanitation, and hygiene services despite environmental pressures. Key Objectives of the Initiative The programme focuses on several interconnected objectives, including: - Strengthening institutional capacity for climate-resilient WASH. - Strengthening technical capacity for WASH implementation. - Promoting gender-responsive WASH. - Promoting disability-inclusive WASH. - Improving WASH in Schools. - Strengthening Menstrual Hygiene Management. - Increasing student leadership and participation. - Improving community water security. - Strengthening hygiene practices. - Testing innovative water technologies. - Generating national WASH knowledge and evidence. - Supporting future WASH programming and policy development. WASH in Schools A major component of the initiative is WASH in Schools (WinS). The programme seeks to improve access to inclusive WASH services in schools while strengthening the ability of schools and students to participate in WASH and climate resilience activities. Interventions can include support for school improvement planning, capacity development, student participation, and locally appropriate approaches to water security and hygiene. Menstrual Hygiene Management The programme also focuses on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM). MHM is incorporated into the wider goal of creating gender-responsive and inclusive WASH services in schools and communities. Partners are expected to contribute to approaches that strengthen institutional and technical capacity for effective MHM and help create more inclusive school WASH environments. Student Leadership and Participation Students are not viewed solely as beneficiaries of the programme. The initiative aims to enhance student leadership and participation in WASH and climate resilience. This approach can help students become active participants in improving school WASH practices and understanding climate-related water challenges. Community Water Security The programme extends beyond schools to address community water security. Partners will support targeted training and locally led interventions designed to improve water security and hygiene practices at the community level. Local participation is important for developing solutions that reflect the specific environmental and social circumstances of FSM communities. Innovative Water Technologies An important feature of the initiative is the planned piloting of innovative water technologies. One example is atmospheric water generation systems, which will be piloted in selected schools and communities. The pilots are intended to assess how such technologies can contribute to improved water security under local conditions. The initiative therefore combines conventional capacity-building and WASH approaches with practical testing of innovative solutions. Research, Monitoring and Evaluation The programme also aims to generate national knowledge and evidence through: - Research. - Monitoring. - Evaluation. - Technical documentation. - Lessons learned. - Recommendations for future scale-up. Evidence generated through implementation will help inform future WASH programming and policy in FSM. Partners should therefore approach implementation not only as service delivery but also as an opportunity to document what works, identify challenges, and generate practical recommendations. Who Are the Partners Expected to Do? Selected partners are expected to contribute to a range of implementation and technical activities.

These may include:

- Conducting baseline assessments. - Supporting school improvement plans. - Supporting community improvement plans. - Delivering training. - Providing capacity development. - Pilot