Developing a cohesive theme for a programmatic behaviour change strategy

While it is commonly accepted that water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programming should include both hardware and software components, these two elements are usually unintegrated because they are not conceived as a whole. Program implementers often choose to prioritize the hardware component as the sole deliverable of a program, and fail to see the uptake of software-related practices as critical for sustained health impact. Through a participatory and iterative process, Samaritan’s Purse and Clear Cambodia have developed a single cohesive theme that encapsulates the three key messages of their household water program: drinking treated water, hand-washing with soap, and practicing safe sanitation. This focused intentional effort to clarify the messages of the program forms the basis of a programmatic behaviour change strategy. This approach is applicable and adaptable for a variety of behaviour change interventions and across numerous geographic contexts.