In November 2012 we conducted a series of interviews at national and woreda level on the links, or missing links, between the WASH sector and micro-finance institutes. There is collaboration between micro-finance institutes (MFIs) and the WASH sector, with MFIs supporting the sector to get money to communities in the Community-Managed Projects approach.
Published on: 14/06/2013
We think that MFIs could make a much greater impact if they would also support individual households with small loans in order to dig and improve their own family wells, especially to improve water quality, and small local businesses that are providing well digging, masonry work or pumps. Self-supply is a huge market. Tens of thousands of households in Ethiopia have already made their own investments in their private water supplies. This approach has government support and it has genuine potential to transform the lives of many rural Ethiopians. It builds on what households are already doing. And they have most of the skills and resources needed.
Check out this short video making the business case for water and how MFIs can do more to support rural Ethiopians in getting access to water and using it productively.
This video was made as part of our activities under the MUStRAIN project.