Every year World Water Day is a day to meet and discuss the importance of water. However, this year is different. The Coronavirus has impacted the lives of everyone worldwide. The availability of safe water is vital in the fight against the virus. This makes it clear once and for all that access to safe water, hygiene and therefore health are inextricably linked.
The facts
As we speak, 1,8 billion people do not have access to safe water and 40% of the global population (three billion people) live without basic handwashing facilities, such as soap and water available at home. This means that billions of people are unable to take the preventive steps required to protect themselves from diseases such as the coronavirus.
What does Aqua for All do about this?
Aqua for All operates in low-income countries in Africa and Asia where lack of available funds leave many people without access to a water source. In addition to the available public funding, it is therefore crucial to mobilise private capital and reach the billions of people who are not reached.
We stimulate (local) entrepreneurship, provide knowledge and expertise and involve the public and the private sector to meet the demand for water. Entrepreneurs can facilitate access to affordable safe water in a sustainable manner by operating water kiosks, installing water pumps and distributing water filters. Private capital can help these enterprises scale up their activities and reach people where public services alone cannot.
Structural changes in the water sector are needed to bridge the current service and finance gaps. Therefore, we focus on innovative, sustainable and inclusive solutions that contribute to tackling water and sanitation challenges.
This crisis has made it clear that we have to speed up implementation of good solutions that will last. We emphasise that we need to be careful and spend grant funding (as a result of the current crisis) wisely. Scaling entrepreneurial activities should be prioritised over distribution of services for free. This could destroy everything that has been built to date. We need to come up with new ways of bridging the service and finance gaps. In our common goal to have access to water for all, we ask you to team up with us!
Are you interested in working with us?
Contact us to discuss the opportunities: info@aquaforall.org