Our programmes: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Countries

The programme focuses on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Lower-Middle Income Countries (LMICs).

Duration & funding

• Duration: 4 years (starting mid-2024)
• Funding amount: €8.9 million

What we do

Building on Aqua for All's Making Water Count (MWC) programme and aligned with SDC's strategic objectives, this partnership aims to unlock private investment for water and sanitation enterprises. Through a combination of Impact-Linked Finance (ILF) and Impact Finance (IF), the programme helps Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) expand their services and reach more people with safe water and sanitation.

Impact-Linked Finance rewards WASH SMEs for achieving measurable social outcomes, enabling them to scale their operations while serving vulnerable communities. At the same time, Impact Finance helps mobilise private capital by reducing investment risks and creating investable opportunities for investors in the water and sanitation sector.

The programme addresses two critical barriers to achieving SDG 6. First, the service gap, where existing water and sanitation services remain insufficient to meet growing needs. Second, the finance gap, where available public funding alone is not enough to achieve universal access. By strengthening WASH SMEs and attracting private investment, the programme helps create a more sustainable and scalable pathway to impact.

Expected impact

The programme aims to provide 150,000 people with access to safely managed drinking water and sanitation directly through SDC funding and an additional 450,000 people through leveraged financing.

Beyond expanding access to services, the programme strengthens WASH SMEs, increases the flow of private capital into the sector, and builds knowledge and expertise around innovative financing mechanisms. This contributes to a stronger and more resilient global water and sanitation ecosystem.