Bangladesh
Bangladesh's water and sanitation crisis
Bangladesh has one of the fastest growing economies in South Asia, however its economic growth has not benefited all areas of the country equally. Out of its population of 173 million people, 70 million people (40% of the population) lack access to safe water, and 108 million people (62%) lack access to a safe toilet.
Bangladesh is recognized as the birthplace of microfinance and remains a leader in this field. Since the 1970s, sustained growth in this sector has significantly advanced financial inclusion of those living in poverty, particularly women.
With a strong microfinance ecosystem, active government support, and a pressing need for improved water and sanitation services, Bangladesh is an ideal market to scale innovative financial solutions that address the water supply and sanitation gap.
Our impact in Bangladesh
Since 2004, Water.org has partnered with some of Bangladesh’s leading microfinance institutions – including ASA, BURO Bangladesh and TMSS – to help empower more than 11 million people with access to water or sanitation through small, affordable loans, through our WaterCredit solution, contributing significantly to the country's progress towards improved water, sanitation, and hygiene. More than 2.6 million loans have been disbursed by our partners, mobilizing more than $892 million in capital to help people living in poverty get access to safe water and sanitation solutions.
This impact helped build the case for the importance of water and sanitation financing at the national level. We have strong engagement with peer organizations and sector stakeholders in Bangladesh, such as PKSF, an apex development finance institution established by the Government of Bangladesh, BIBM, InM, an apex microfinance organization and research and knowledge partner, and WaterAid, a leading NGO in WASH sector. Through our systems level work, including sharing best practices through sector learning platforms, the government of Bangladesh increased water and sanitation funding by 30% starting in 2019.
A vision for future impact in Bangladesh
Water.org has successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of microfinance-based water and sanitation lending in Bangladesh. Building on this success, we are continuing to expand our impact with existing partners while forging new partnerships with additional microfinance institutions and commercial banks, ensuring that more families in need can access affordable financing for safe water and sanitation solutions.
We also recognize that constraints on water and sanitation access are broader than inadequate household level financing. In addition to our core work, we are building diverse partnerships to catalyze and expand service delivery. In Bangladesh, this includes new collaborations with BRAC Bank to expand wholesale WSS lending and Bangladesh Municipal Development Fund (BMDF) to mobilize funding for WASH infrastructure projects.
Looking ahead, our vision is to scale WaterCredit, expand wholesale WASH lending with financial institutions to reach more households, mobilize finance for urban water and sanitation infrastructure projects that strengthen the supply of water and sanitation services and products. These efforts will enable partners to improve services, extend coverage, and reach more families living at the base of the economic pyramid, building long-term resilience for people in need.
Bangladesh impact statistics
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