We work in 15 countries and counting…

We work in 15 countries across 4 continents. In Asia, we work in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Our work in Africa spans across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Botswana and Mozambique. And in Latin America, we work in Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador and Guatemala.

In these countries – in urban communities, in rural villages, in homes and schools – this is where we're transforming lives. We’re scaling impact as we continue to assess new regions where our market-driven, financial approach can help change the lives of people in need.

Our solutions are market-driven

The water crisis looks different in different parts of the world. Our solution – small, affordable loans for water and sanitation – is adaptable to the countries where we work. Choosing those countries requires strategic consideration as we work toward the global goal of safe water and sanitation for all.

We pursue programs based on the following:

  • The need for access to safe water and improved sanitation in the area.
  • The potential effectiveness of a financial approach to solve the water crisis for people in the region.
  • The level of support of the utility infrastructure, economic demographics, and political environment for our work.
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9.8 million people reached
9 partners
751,000 people reached
216,000 loans disbursed by our partners
2.1 million people reached
465,000 loans disbursed by our partners
28 million people reached
24 partners
5.1 million people reached
961,000 loans disbursed by our partners
9.9 million people reached
2.4 million loans disbursed by our partners
185,000 people reached
5 partners
5.3 million people reached
1.4 M loans disbursed by our partners
9.5 million people reached
2 million loans disbursed by our partners
418,000 people reached
5 partners
764,000 people reached
45,000 loans disbursed by our partners

Featured story

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Now Tahmina and her baby can play

For many years Tahmina walked to and from her in-law’s to fill vessels, cups, and buckets of water for cooking and cleaning. This was time-consuming and for Tahmina, often difficult. Read about how her life changed after getting affordable access to safe water and improved sanitation at home.

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How Francisco overcame his water crisis in an unpredictable environment

In the semiarid region of Ceará, Northeast Brazil, where life revolves around the unpredictability of rain, Francisco and his family have seen their share of weather and water-related challenges. But amidst the harsh conditions, one thing has profoundly changed their lives...

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Featured story

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Midday, all day, every day... now Koeun's family has safe water

Keoun was often frustrated and felt hopeless when the well near her property ran dry. It was donated to her village by a charity and never provided enough water. Learn more about how Keoun was given the opportunity to finance her own safe water connection at home.

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Featured story

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She gave her family health, hope, and possibility

Her family’s survival depended on the water she collected each day. See how affordable, lasting access to safe water at home has changed Chenamma’s life.

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Featured story

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Closer to home

In the heart of Indonesia, where lush landscapes and a commitment to daily prayer abound, lies the inspiring story of Patahimawati – a woman who, like millions of women around the world, struggled with the daily challenges of inadequate access to safe water and sanitation at home. Her life took a transformative turn, however, when her family got affordable, lasting access to safe water at home.

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Creating climate resilience through sustainable solutions

When Saphia first started farming, he struggled to grow healthy crops because he lacked an adequate supply of water. Saphia lives in a region in Kenya where the adverse effects of climate change, like drought, impact the ability of farmers to sustain their crops and livestock. The water sources are regularly dry and their wells are often not dug deep enough into the earth to source water. Read more to find out how Saphia overcame the effects of climate change in his region to ensure he could grow food and provide for his family.

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Featured story

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Violeta's worries about water are no more

By increasing affordable access to safe water, we help make a way for families like Violeta's to get the safe water solutions they need that are both affordable and sustainable. Watch as Violeta shares her story about how her family got affordable access to safe water.

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Featured story

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Empower families in Peru with safe water and toilets

Together we've empowered millions of people in need of safe water and sanitation in Peru. Through small, affordable lives are being changed and futures are bright. Read more about how Water.org is working with local partners in Peru to bring families the water connections and toilets they need to live hopeful, healthy lives.

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Featured story

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How Janine gave her family safe water

Janine is a hardworking woman who is determined to give her family what they need to survive. When her family needed an affordable way to get safe water at home, Janine made the connection to give them a long-term safe water connection. Read her story.

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Featured story

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Obwiri

When COVID-19 reached Obwiri’s community, she had increasing concerns about her family’s sanitation situation. Read about how a small loan empowered her to solve her family's water and sanitation crisis at a critical time.

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Featured story

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From a river to her doorstep

Narwoga and Mubiru have had many financial obstacles over their years - they lost part of their small taxi business and their biggest challenge was a lack of water at home. Read about how a small loan empowered the couple to give their family water at home, affordably.

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70 million people lack access to safe water
118 million people lack access to a safe toilet
27 million people lack access to safe water
108 million people lack access to a safe toilet
11 million people lack access to safe water
10 million people lack access to a safe toilet
35 million people lack access to safe water
678 million people lack access to a safe toilet
192 million people lack access to safe water
14 million people lack access to a safe toilet
15 million people lack access to safe water
37 million people lack access to a safe toilet
72 M people lack access to safe water
47 million people lack access to a safe toilet
16 million people lack access to safe water
14 million people lack access to a safe toilet
60 million people lack access to safe water
43 million people lack access to a safe toilet
49 million people lack access to safe water
58 million people lack access to a safe toilet
38 million people lack access to safe water
38 million people lack access to a safe toilet
Bangladesh
Brazil
Cambodia
India
Indonesia
Kenya
Mexico
Peru
Philippines
Tanzania
Uganda

Our regional strategies help scale impact

Our regional teams work in Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. This allows us to:

  • Build a strong presence in priority countries in each region while exploring new areas of impact.
  • Address the diverse financing needs of the water and sanitation sector within each region.
  • Cultivate deep networks across financial institutions, government organizations, water service providers, and other water and sanitation sector partners.
  • Leverage local talent who bring local context and lived experience to our work.
  • Support efficiency in our operational teams, quickly deploying resources across the region.

In each of the regions where we work, we are scaling and diversifying financial partnerships to drive impact through WaterCredit and expanding water and sanitation infrastructure solutions with utility partners by helping increase the capital invested and capital mobilized for water and sanitation solutions. With a focus on improving gender equity and climate resiliency, our regional strategies are helping reach more people in need, faster.

The progress of our programs and expansion varies in each of the countries where we work. From long-standing programs in India to exploring new regions in Latin America, here are some examples of where we've been and where we're headed.

Two women in India standing in front of a green wall.

Millions of lives changed in India

Since 2004, Water.org has played a significant role in India’s progress toward improved water, sanitation and hygiene, changing more than 28 million lives through our WaterCredit solution, a model that made its first impact in India.

A mother standing with her young daughter in the Philippines.

Rapid growth in the Philippines

We started working in the Philippines in 2014. In less than a decade, we now have 43 financial institution partners and have reached more than 9.5 million people here. Our programs continue to grow and we’re currently working with local utility partners to reach even more people.

A woman in Mexico wearing a wide-brimmed hat for sun protection.

New work in Mexico

As a result of market research, we found opportunity to bring our financial solutions to Mexico. Our first partner disbursed their first loans for water and sanitation in early 2020, and we are now working with 5 partners to scale our impact in this country that has a critical need for safe water and sanitation solutions for families living in poverty.

$25 helps one family get access to safe water.

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