It All Starts with Water
Water is one of the best investments the world can make to empower women, fight climate change, improve health, and end poverty. That’s why we support Water.org. Their powerful, financial solution is changing millions of lives.
Water is essential to life, yet 771 million people around the world lack access to it. Without safe water at home, women and girls spend hours a day collecting it, and thousands of people die each year due to water, sanitation, and hygiene-related diseases. This is the global water crisis.
Right now, millions of people know they need lasting access to safe water and sanitation and they are not in a financial position to make it a reality. Instead, they pay a high price for water either in time spent collecting it or money to purchase it. Both options also cost families opportunities and health and perpetuate the cycle of poverty.
Water.org knows there is a smart, efficient way to create more impact with every dollar donated while providing the world with safe water faster — and it starts with the people it serves.
Water.org was the first organization to apply the idea of providing water and sanitation to people living in poverty — a proven, market-driven solution it calls WaterCredit. Water.org works with in-country financial partners to help it add loans for water and sanitation solutions to its portfolios. These partners then mobilize funding from capital markets to provide affordable loans to people in need of water.
To date, more than 52 million people living in poverty have solved their household water crisis through microfinance. Water.org has helped mobilize more than $4.1 billion in capital for water and sanitation solutions for people living in poverty.
Access to safe water and sanitation is the way to end poverty, achieve global equality, and make a bright future possible for all. It is grateful for supporters like Northrop & Johnson, who share its vision of safe water and sanitation for all.
Click the video link here to watch as Matt Damon, Co-founder of Water.org, explains how Water.org breaks down the financial barriers between people living in poverty and lasting access to safe water.
