SWEP 2.0: Going stronger and more diverse as 2020 unfolds!
2019 was a year of intense reflection and hard work for the SWEP. We presented our vision for a global pact and value chain for WASH entrepreneurs at the Stockholm World Water Week, knocked at our partner’s doors to convince them to join hands and put together a solid business model for the SWEP. Now, in 2020, we are reaping the fruits of all this hard labour. Not only have we validated and consolidated our vision and structure, we have also been enthusiastically joined by five new organisations that share our vision of a collaborative approach to entrepreneurship in water and sanitation.
A very warm welcome to:
- Aqua for All, who was already a strategic partner and has now officially become a member. Its expertise in bridging service and financial gaps in the water and sanitation economy will help us drive change and catalyse a thriving, sustainable water and sanitation economy.
- Borda, based in Bremen, has over 40 years of experience in sanitation and urban development. It has developed many award-winning solutions in over 20 countries worldwide. As an innovation leader, Borda will bring its long-standing expertise to our pact and help us play a leading role in international efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
- Swiss-based Toilets for All works to empower entrepreneurs, funders and organisations to deliver safe access to toilets for people living off the grid. An enabler for both entrepreneurs and investors, it will bring its expertise on bridging the huge gap between these two worlds to our Pact.
- WASTE develops innovative financing strategies and business models to scale sanitation and solid waste management initiatives using a bottom-up approach. With its long-standing expertise in entrepreneurship development, inclusive finance and multi-stakeholder approaches, Waste will help us to thrive as a holistic organisation and ecosystem builder.
- Young Water Solutions, based in Brussels, has been active for several years in empowering young social entrepreneurs, thereby supporting the potential of young people to contribute to universal access to water and sanitation. With its expertise in integrated approaches, it will help us catalyse the power and energy of youth to realise SDG6.
With this expanded network, we will have a stronger voice to influence agendas, expand our horizons beyond our respective silos and stop duplicating efforts. By joining hands, we will also channel funds more effectively, create trust, provide investors with an access to a less-risky pipeline of entrepreneurs and open new opportunities for them to pool funds. We are proud and happy to have built such a strong coalition of willing actors.
Stay assured, though that we will not rest on our laurels. The real work starts now! We are already working on several cooperative projects and collaborations in various areas of the water and sanitation entrepreneurship sector. More on that soon…stay tuned!