WASH Toolbox

This page is a one-stop toolbox for anyone working with WASH in the IFRC network. Many tools are in Microsoft Word or Excel formats – you can download them, adjust for your context, translate etc.

There are five sections:
i) Project Management Tools
ii) Volunteer Management Tools
iii) a “Virtual” Hygiene Promotion Box”
iv) a Technical Toolbox
v) a library of example IEC materials

If you have a tool or material that you would like to share and add to the Toolbox, please see Submit a Resource.

p-TIM0083_JPG - Project Management Tools (1)

This section includes common WASH related project management tools (for emergencies) including an example indicators, logical framework, handover template, and much more. These tools are not specific to a WASH technical area.

This section includes practical tools and guidance for recruiting, monitoring and supporting community volunteers in WASH activities.

Important: All volunteer management decisions are led by the National Society. This includes selection, management and volunteer terms and benefits. Read more on IFRCs Volunteer Policy.

Volunteer Management Toolkit English, French, Spanish, Arabic
Volunteer management cycle (IFRC resource)
IFRC Hygiene Promotion Volunteer Competency Checklist (draft)
WASH Cluster Job Descriptions for HP Coordinator, and community mobiliser
TOOL 10 code of conduct briefing and IFRC Code of Conduct video on Youtube
TOOL 14: Q&A sheet for volunteers (to respond to common questions from community members during assessments, implementation and when programmes are coming to an end.)

The virtual HP Box provides access to standardized hygiene promotion materials for emergency responders. Visit the hygiene promotion page for more information on the HP Box.

Locally adapted examples can be found in the ‘Example IEC materials‘ library at the bottom of the page.

Tools across the 8 steps for WASH action:

IFRC WASH guidelines for hygiene promotion in emergency operations in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Malay, Thai, Khmer, Bengali, Portuguese
Compendium of Hygiene Promotion in Emergencies in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Ukrainian
WASH questions to guide programming – PGI and CEA
Assressing Menstrual Hygiene management (MHM) needs – Guide & Tools for National Societies in English, French, Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Spanish, Bengali
CEA Toolkit (Tool 20): Exit strategy guidance in English

WASH Focus Group Discussion (FGD) guide – including PGI and CEA considerations in English, Spanish, French
Target group selection English, French, Spanish, Arabic
How to Do an Audience Analysis (The Compass for SBC)
Transect walk and observation Guide English, French, Spanish, Arabic
Cheat sheet: Behavioral determinants Doer/Non-Doer Analysis – Handwashing, Use of latrines
Positive Deviancy and Doer/Non-Doer
IFRC Sociocultural assessment tool for water, sanitation and hygiene programmes (English, French, Spanish)
Checklist for female friendly latrines English, French, Spanish, Arabic
Guidance on Sampling methodology (Mass Sanitation module) English, French
MSM rapid assessment checklist

For Cholera:

WASH Cholera Focus group discussion (FGD) guide in English
Rapid risk assessment tools – Branch Outbreak Response Team (BORT) for Cholera (IFRC, 2022)

Instructions for participatory activities:

IFRC HP Box contamination explanation English, French, Spanish
IFRC HP Box Three pile sorting instructions English, French, Spanish
IFRC HP Box Pocket chart English, French, Spanish, Arabic

Example rapid hygiene promotion plan
Score card – check the quality of HP messages
CEA toolkit – Communication methods matrix in English
Using Mass media English, French, French, Arabic
Summary Report: What works to change handwashing and hygiene behaviours
Simple communication plan for HP (example, Uganda training)
Compendium of Hygiene Promotion in Emergencies in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Ukrainian

Contamination chain activity instructions (IFRC HP box) in English, French, Spanish, Arabic
Three pile sorting instructions (IFRC HP box) in English, French, Spanish, Arabic
Pocket chart instructions (IFRC HP box) in English, French, Spanish, Arabic
Example puppet script (Indonesia HP box)
Example glo-germ instructions (HP box)
HP Box information sheet English, French, Spanish, Arabic
Participatory hygiene and sanitation transformation English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Urdu
Household water treatment manual English, French, Spanish, Arabic

Communal latrines – Checklist for inclusive, menstrual hygiene friendly latrines in English, French, Spanish and Arabic
Bathing facilities – Checklist for inclusive, menstrual hygiene friendly bathing facilities in English, French, Spanish and Arabic
Solid waste facilities – Checklist for inclusive, menstrual hygiene friendly solid waste facilities in English, French, Spanish and Arabic

Calculating direct and indirect people reached
Hygiene Evaluation Procedures: Approaches and Methods for Assessing Water – and Sanitation – related Hygiene Practices
Evaluation summary – Emergency Hygiene Compendium

Tool 1: Focus group discussion guide – assessment: English, French, Arabic, Spanish
Tool 2: Checklist for inclusive MHM friendly latrines: English, French, Arabic, Spanish
Tool 3: Checklist for inclusive MHM friendly bathing areas – English, French, Arabic, Spanish
Tool 4: Checklist for inclusive MHM friendly solid waste facilities – English, French, Arabic, Spanish
Tool 5: Cash programming for menstrual hygiene – English, French, Arabic, Spanish
Tool 6: Step-by-step tool for deciding priority MHM actions (based on assessment)- English, French, Arabic, Spanish
Tool 7: Example MHM outputs, indicators and targets for the Emergency Plan of Action- English, French, Arabic, Spanish
Tool 8: Minimum items to be included in dignity or MHM kits for menstrual hygiene English, French, Arabic, Spanish
Tool 9: Example IEC materials for disposable pads, reusable cloth pads and tampons which can be adapted and translated. Available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Portugese, Swahili and Kirundi. Search in the IEC materials library below.
Tool 10: Feedback and mitigation log (can also include rumours, complaints and misinformation) – English, French, Arabic, Spanish
Tool 11: Post-distribution monitoring survey – English, French, Arabic, Spanish
Tool 12: Survey for post-distribution monitoring – English, French, Arabic, Spanish
Tool 13: Checklist for MHM actions in humanitarian operations – English, French, Arabic, Spanish

Here you will find example designs and BoQs for emergency sanitation facilities, forms on water quality and treatment calculations, and much more. Please get in touch if you have a useful tool on your hard-drive that you can share with others!