Climate-smart funding for water and sanitation providers
Aqua for All directly supports water and sanitation small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to grow and increase their impact through grants and accelerator programmes. Climate considerations are integrated into the processes used to support SMEs. As a first step, emissions and climate risks are assessed alongside the business model. Where necessary, adaptation or mitigation activities are designed, financed and implemented alongside other business activities. Climate impacts achieved through this support are included in our monitoring system.
Planning ahead and assessing emerging climate risks as part of the business planning and in line with basin resilience plans will ensure water security in the future. Many water and sanitation SMEs do not need to implement extra adaptation and mitigation measures as they already operate in a climate-smart way. However, our funding processes verify if this is the case and promote climate action where it is needed.
By mainstreaming climate change considerations into our SME support, we contribute to building a more resilient water and sanitation economy.
The role of climate adaptation initiatives in accelerator programmes
Accelerator programmes supported by us prepare innovative WASH businesses for investment readiness and scaling up their operations.
Often, the impact of climate change presents additional challenges on the scaling pathways of entrepreneurs. Our climate strategy is aiming to secure future WASH service delivery and build low carbon, climate resilient WASH enterprises and infrastructure. Through two of our accelerator programmes, we offered additional support in analysing the climate risks their business may be exposed to, and test adaptation measures to increase the resilience:
Irrisol
Irrisol is a piped water supply company in Kasese, Uganda which participated in the Rural Water Accelerator Programme in East Africa. The region in which they operate is experiencing more frequent river flooding due to climate change. Because their operations are in low-lying areas with reduced buffer zones along the rivers, their boreholes are often damaged by flooding, resulting in a disruption of the water supply. Additionally, customers are often displaced by floods and have limited awareness of how to adapt to floods and when to expect them.
To increase resilience of their operations and the community, Irrisol will:
- Install additional water storage capacity to provide the community with water when a borehole is out of use,
- Strengthen staff expertise on flood resilient infrastructure through training,
- Procure personal protection equipment and
- Host community awareness workshops on flood preparedness.
More information: Irrisol
Association Impulsion
Association Impulsion (AI) is a social enterprise in Barsalgho, Burkina Faso, specialised in drilling and management of simplified drinking water supply systems. They participated in the PME Performantes WASH Climat 2.0 in Burkina Faso. The region they operate in faces increasing water scarcity and drought, putting their operations and the community they serve at high risk of drought.
To increase their resilience, AI will invest in training for their employees. The trainings cover:
- Climate resilient infrastructure management, to minimise the risks associated with climate fluctuations (drought and water drying up) and guarantee a stable water supply.
- Eco-efficient technologies for WASH infrastructure, to enable AI to reduce operational costs as well as their footprint.
- Awareness-raising and community mobilisation, to enhance employees’ communication skills to mobilise communities in the face of climate challenges and foster the adoption of sustainable practices.
More information: Association Impulsion