2021 Annual Report
Celebrating 9 million more people empowered with access to safe water or sanitation through our smart solutions
Thank you for changing lives
Thanks to you, in 2021 we celebrated reaching more than 43 million people to date with access to safe water or sanitation.
Throughout the world, we helped empower families with access to small, affordable loans so they could get lasting water and sanitation solutions in their homes. With your continued support, we transformed the lives of more than 9.2 million people in 2021 alone.
2021 at a glance
9 million+
9,283,320 lives changed across 11 countries
$740 million
$740 million in small loans disbursed by our partners for water or sanitation
2 million
2 million water or sanitation loans disbursed by our partners
In 2021, 9.2 million more people now have access to safe water or sanitation.
See the number of lives changed in each country in 2021.
We believe in the power and autonomy of the people we serve
One of the major barriers to safe water and sanitation is access to affordable financing. By providing people with small loans at reasonable rates for water connections and toilets, they become participants in solving their family’s water crisis.
Our solution is in high demand, sustainable, and reaching people in need. 88% of borrowers are women – those most impacted by the water crisis – and the majority of households borrowing the loans live on less than $6 a day.
Thanks to your continued support, now more than 43 million people around the world have lasting access to safe water or sanitation at home, empowering them to define their own future.
Meet Patricia
Patricia spent a few hours each day walking to and from a water source to provide water for her family. Now, their water crisis is in the past.
With a small, affordable loan through Water.org’s financial partner in Kenya, Patricia installed three rain storage tanks on her property. Now she has enough water to feed her livestock, water her vegetable garden, and to cover her household needs. And, now she doesn’t walk long distances carrying heavy vessels of water, multiple times a day.
Stories of resilience and hope like Patricia's are made possible by affordable access to safe water, and people like you.
Access to financing is solving the water crisis for millions
Together with our partners around the world, we helped mobilize $740 million in capital in 2021 to support small loans that brought safe water and sanitation to people in need.
Small, affordable loans offer families the ability to purchase long-term safe water and sanitation solutions that solve their immediate need and over time will cost less than continuing to pay for temporary fixes.
Although we experienced some challenges due to the pandemic, loans for water and sanitation made by our partners continue to maintain an overall repayment rate of 99%. Every repaid loan means another family can get safe water at home. It’s a cycle that continues to reach more people, creating new opportunities for families around the world.
We work with 150 partners around the world
In Indonesia, we work with various partners to increase affordable access to safe water and sanitation to families in their communities.
Through a program called PAMSIMAS, the government provides stimulants for villages to develop community-based water supply and sanitation systems in rural areas. An organization called the Rural Drinking Water Supply was formed to manage the development of the program at the village level. To ensure all households can access the water and sanitation systems, our partner financial institutions in Indonesia support these programs by providing small loans for water and sanitation connections to the community.
“As part of our work, we share the options for water loans broadly, increasing the number of families in need who can now easily access safe water.” –Lestari, Branch Manager, local partner
Together, we can change the lives of millions more.
Donate