Impact
Clean water, sanitation and hygiene for the most vulnerable
Our work is bringing vital water, sanitation and hygiene to the poorest urban communities, helping people live healthy, dignified lives and underpinning livelihoods, access to education, gender equality and climate resilience.
As pioneers in changing systems in complex urban environments, we have built a reputation as a trusted partner to city institutions and water and sanitation providers.
Take a look at our numbers and see why we are the world’s specialist in water and sanitation solutions for under-served urban residents:
Our impact
Over 38 million people benefitting from improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene.
27 regional or national water and sanitation service providers strengthened
60 private or community-based operators with improved ability to serve the poor
15 regional, national or sub-national policies influenced
$647 million of investment mobilised
25 cities and 20 towns and municipalities benefitting from long-lasting change
7 countries which have benefitted from long-term WSUP support and a further 15 where WSUP has had an impact
Recognition
Our work has been backed by some of the world’s leading investors and philanthropic organisations.
Impact-focused foundations such as Skoll Foundation, Mulago Foundation and Cartier Philanthropy have recognised our innovative approach to helping the world’s poorest.
Institutional investors such as USAID and the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office value our capacity to deliver complex, long-term programmes.
Learn more about our partnerships
Annual Report 2021 – 2022
Through the work in our core countries Bangladesh, Kenya, Ghana, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Zambia, plus our emerging presence in Uganda and consultancy work in Cambodia, we were proud to improve the lives of 1.35 million people in the 12-month period ending in March 2022.
The year 2021-2022 was WSUP’s second under its new Business Plan, and the report shares some of our work carried out under five Strategic Goals during the period.
How WSUP creates impact through systems change
To provide people living in cities with improved services, WSUP targets systems change in three ways:
Skills and capacity
Stronger public and private sector service providers, and more effective government.
Effective policies and regulations
Polices and regulations which give clarity on responsibilities, incentivise action, and provide the right environment for the private sector.
Improved investment
Investment plans, improved financial management, and targeted investment from international financial institutions.
It's really hard to get water and sanitation to the people - all the people - who need it most: we like the systematic way that WSUP brings together all of the key actors in a complicated landscape to drive lasting solutions that focus first on the poor.
WSUP Business Plan 2020-2025
To learn more about how we plan to create impact from 2020-2025, read our Business Plan.