Agua para la vida (Water for Life)

Problem Statement

In the Barú Corregimiento, according to Cartagena Cómo Vamos and the University of the Andes, three out of every five residents lack access to treated water. The structural cause is the distance and limited coverage of the aqueduct network, which terminates at Punta Iguana (10 km away). This necessitates a precarious logistical supply system using barges and tanker trucks to fill a single community cistern. This model creates the central problem: an inefficient, unsafe, and high-cost water provision, critically distributed through only two standpipes for approximately 200 families, who pay up to $2.500 for litre ($1.500 for the water + $1.000 for transport). The immediate effects are the high prevalence of waterborne diseases and the proliferation of vectors such as mosquitoes, constituting a permanent public health risk and an economic burden that deepens the socio-economic vulnerability of the community.

Proposed Solution

Implementation of 40 water filters (each costing $240,000 pesos) in strategic households, complemented by a sustainability program. This includes: "Water Defender Clubs" for children's education, applying behavioral science to create community agreements, and an AI-powered monitoring system (Puntos de Vida) using tablets with a WhatsApp AI chatbot for real-time reporting and maintenance.

Installing filters directly reduces exposure to contaminated water, decreasing waterborne disease incidence. Training children and youth ensures maintenance capacity remains in the community. Community agreements establish clear rules for water use and fund contributions, creating accountability. The monitoring system allows rapid response to filter issues before they become failures. 

To ensure long-term financial sustainability and reduce dependency on external aid, this solution will be complemented by the establishment of a Community Water Bond Fund, a collective savings mechanism based on principles of cooperative microfinance and rotating funds. 

This fund will pool small, regular contributions from beneficiary families, creating a community-managed financial asset that leverages economies of scale. The accumulated capital will serve a dual purpose: first, as a reserve for the collective purchase of filter replacements and spare parts at wholesale prices, significantly lowering individual costs; and second, as seed capital for scaling the intervention, allowing the community to autonomously finance the acquisition of additional filters for new families without waiting for external donations. This transforms the community from passive recipients into active managers of their water resilience, fostering a sense of collective ownership and shared responsibility for the infrastructure's longevity. Furthermore, the fund will enable strategic bulk water purchases from suppliers during critical shortages, directly lowering the price per liter for all members, particularly those still reliant on the standpipes, thereby addressing the immediate economic burden of water access through a sustainable, community-driven financial instrument.

Target Groups

50 families in the district of Barú, focusing initially on 30 households receiving filters, and 30+ children and youth to be trained in the Water Defender Clubs.

Activities

Stage 1: Diagnosis and Design (Months 1-2)

1. Participatory Diagnosis and Baseline: FEAST-method workshops to map critical water supply points, usage habits, and water quality perceptions with women and youth.


2. Co-creative Methodology Design: Specific sessions with community leaders and youth to co-design the Water Defender Clubs curriculum and the structure of the Agreement Workshops.

Stage 2: Core Implementation (Months 3-10)

1. Launch and Operation of the Water Defender Clubs- Recruitment (Month 3): Campaign in schools and family meetings to enroll 30 young people (ages 10-16).


2. Playful Technical Training (Months 4-5): 4 FEAST workshops on: 1) The local hydrological cycle, 2) Basic filter operation and maintenance (cleaning, pre-filter changes), 3) Identification of contamination risks, 4) Using the chatbot for reporting.


3. Community Project (Months 6-8): Each Club designs and implements an action (e.g., a water risk map, forum theater on water care, piletas monitoring brigades).


4. Certification and Swearing-In (Month 9): A public event where they are designated as Official Defenders.

Stage 2.2: Behavioral Science Workshops for Community Agreements

1. Pre-workshop: Behavior Survey (Month 3): Surveys and observation to identify barriers  and facilitators of cooperation.


2. Workshop 1 - Social Norms and Trust (Month 4): Dynamics with families and leaders to visualize the collective benefit and establish initial commitments through role-playing games.


3. Workshop 2 - Co-creation of Rules (Month 5): A facilitated session to draft a Community Water Pact with clear rules (e.g., water collection schedules, rotational responsibility for cleaning pilas, establishment of the Community Water Bond Fund with agreed contribution rates and transparent management protocols). Public commitments are signed.


4. Workshop 3 - Reinforcement and Conflict Resolution (Month 7): Follow-up to evaluate compliance, adjust rules, and establish a community oversight committee that includes treasurers for the Bond Fund. A social recognition system is implemented (e.g., Water Caretaker Family of the Month).
   

Stage 3: Sustainability and Transition (Months 10-12)

1. Leadership Transition: The Water Defender Clubs train a new group of children. External facilitators hand over the moderation of the Governance Tables to the Oversight Committee, which now includes the Fund's administrative team.


2. Measurement and Systematization: Compliance with agreements, the impact of the Clubs, and the growth and first allocations of the Community Water Bond Fund are measured. Everything is systematized in the Toolbox, including manuals to replicate Clubs, facilitate agreement workshops, and manage the rotating fund.

Goals

• Install and operationalise 30 long-lasting water filters in households led by female caregivers, directly benefiting a minimum of 50 families within the first year.


• Establish and activate 1 Community Water Council (governance table) and 2 Water Defender Clubs involving at least 30 youths within 6 months, trained in usage, maintenance, and principles of collective management.


• Set up 1 operational Life Point with a tablet and WhatsApp chatbot, achieving at least 80% of beneficiary families reporting an incident or query within the first 9 months.


• Establish and operationalize 1 Community Water Bond Fund with a collectively agreed-upon management protocol, achieving at least 70% participation from beneficiary families and accumulating seed capital sufficient for the purchase of replacement parts or bulk water by month 12.


• Develop and disseminate 1 complete Toolbox (guides, protocols, manuals) and facilitate the signing of at least 10 explicit community agreements on the use and care of water and filters within 12 months.


• Design and execute 100% of community training and activities using the FEAST methodology, achieving a participation and retention rate above 85% in training sessions.

Available Metrics

• 30 long-lasting water filters installed and operational in households led by female caregivers, directly benefiting 50 families.


•  30 young people (ages 10-16) certified as Official Water Defenders, after completing 4 technical workshops and executing 1 community project per Club.


•  1 operational Life Point with a chatbot, achieving at least 50 families reporting an incident or query within the first 9 months.


• 1 Community Water Pact formally adopted, with at least 5 explicit signed agreements and 3 documented quarterly meetings of the Community Water Council.


• 1 Community Water Bond Fund formally established, with documented operational rules, a minimum of 35 participating families, and a recorded initial capital accumulation (e.g., total savings in COP).


• 1 complete Toolbox documented and disseminated, and the successful facilitation of at least 1 workshop by trained community leaders.

Current Collaborators:

Barú 2030, Fundación Decameron, Fundación Santo Domingo, Grupo Argos, PEI AM, Puerto Bahía, SPEC LNG, Fundación Promigas, Traso, Valorem, Veolia, El Universal y la Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar.

Founding Partner: Cartagena Hub (since 2014).

Strategic Allies (2015-2016):

•  Coca-Cola, ESENTTIA, Aguas de Cartagena SA ESP, Bolívar Davivienda Foundation.

International Recognition: Coca-Cola "Shaping a Better Future!" Award 2015 - first project in Colombia to receive it.

Technology Investment: $7.200.000 COP in water filters (30 units x $240.000 COP each).