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Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6

Mechanisms that strategically use donor finance to catalyze private investment – often referred to as “blended finance” – will be critical to filling the financing gap that exists to solve the global water crisis. Water.org is well-poised to help the global community move forward. Learn more from Water.org’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Vedika Bhandarkar as she explains how blended finance is a solution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals for achieving global access to safe water and sanitation.

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Ladreo ended his family's water crisis

Through our partner, Mi Banco, Ladreo took out a small loan to fund the construction of a bathroom and a water storage tank that connects to a shower and a faucet. Now Ladreo’s family home is complete. Read Ladreo's story.

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Zenebech's story

Zenebech lives in a rural village a few hours south of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Among the other mud and thatch homes, Zenebech raises her six children with her husband. Zenebech told others in her village about how a small loan changed their world and it could change theirs too. "I didn't want them to suffer any longer. I want them to be healthy like my kids". Read more about why she wanted safe water for her neighbors.

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Hamsaveni and Rajesh give their daughters a bright future

India is the second most populous country in the world, with more than 1 billion citizens. 539 million people living in India lack access to a safe toilet. Read about how families are using small, affordable loans to end this practice and give their kids bright futures.

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For women the water crisis is personal

For women around the world, the struggle to gather water for their families is a personal, everyday battle. Water.org empowers women to get safe water by helping them access affordable financing through something we call WaterCredit.

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Rehana

Homes in Rehana’s village are simple. Made of thatch and mud and concrete, the humble structures offer a haven for rest and play, but rarely do they have water or sanitation connections. While her husband worked and her children went to school, Rehana walked up to six hours a day to get water for cooking, laundry, and baths.

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Access to water and sanitation creates time and opportunity

Evidence found through Water.org’s programs demonstrates that household access to water and/or sanitation can liberate anywhere from six to 14 hours a week to be reallocated from tending to water and sanitation needs to however an individual chooses. While not every person with access to improved water and/or sanitation ultimately opts to use this extra time to earn additional income, the majority of people empowered through the work of Water.org direct their newly-freed time towards income-generating activities.

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Water makes dreams come true

Water has the power to make dreams a reality. With a small, affordable loan made available to Rose by her local bank, Rose was able to give her family a long-term water solution. Now she has money to pay for her daughter's schooling, bringing to life Maggie's dream of becoming a nurse.

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Water for Matthews' family

In partnership with Water.org, Matthews’ local bank offered small, affordable loans for water connections and toilets. The amount Matthews and Butukan paid for water at the kiosk far exceeded what could be payments toward a long-term water solution in their home. Matthews decided to finance a water connection.

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Water is a game changer

As a child, Elena did not share in the joys of playtime like her boys, nor did she have time to even imagine what she wanted to be when she grew up. Elena was raised in rural Peru where she spent many hours carrying water jugs rather than kicking a soccer ball.

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How the water crisis affects families in Brazil

Like 24 million Brazilians, Maria lacked access to adequate sanitation in her home, where she lives and works and helps raise her granddaughter. Read about how a small loan gave this mother and grandmother the resource needed to keep her family healthy.

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Unlocking her potential

Nimfa’s story is a story shared by many women in her village. After spending too many girlhood hours searching for water, and spending too much money paying for what they lacked, they grew up to recognize their potential and knew they needed safe water to unlock it.

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