Safe Water Network Makes $20 Million Commitment to Action at Clinton Global Initiative
Safe Water Network participated in the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2022 meeting held in New York, NY on September 19-20, 2022. Kurt Soderlund, CEO of Safe Water Network, shared brief remarks on stage with Dr. Rita Colwell, Vice-Chair of Safe Water Network’s Board and the Director of the National Science Foundation under President Bill Clinton, on the theme, “Philanthropy Meeting the Moment: How We Can Transform Giving and Grantmaking for Equity, Justice, and Impact.”
As Safe Water Network makes a Commitment to Action with CGI this year, it is entering a new phase of growth, leveraging years of operating success to reach millions more in emerging markets. The organization, along with long-time funding partners including The Stone Family Foundation and Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, is committing $20 million toward an expansion of its work in Ghana through developing tools, resources, and partnerships that will support replication of sustainable safe water services. Through collective action, Safe Water Network is professionalizing water services, raising standards on quality, reliability, and sustainability, while ensuring equitable access.
2 billion people do not have access to safely managed water. This global challenge inhibits the ability of underserved communities to break the cycle of poverty and poor health. Climate change is exacerbating the issue, increasing the prevalence of waterborne illnesses from record flooding and higher temperatures. Kurt Soderlund, CEO of Safe Water Network, said, “More than ever, water quality and resilient infrastructure are essential for our future. At Safe Water Network, we believe the global water crisis can be solved through collaboration and innovation. Working with others, we are providing the systems and tools needed to make lasting progress toward universal access to safe water.”
Safe Water Network was founded 15 years ago with a simple premise: communities can sustainably manage their own supply of safe water. Working in Ghana and India, the organization deploys water systems in communities not reached by large infrastructure, making water affordable to those living on less than $2 a day. The market-driven model is built on local management, financial sustainability, water quality, and equitable access. By delivering water to national safety standards, trust is built with the communities, providing the foundation for long-term sustainability. The organization has proven the model by implementing water systems in Ghana and India reaching nearly 2 million people in almost 500 communities. Through collaborations with international public and private partners, they are making water work for millions more. Safe Water Network welcomes additional partners to scale up field implementation, as well as advocacy and training, to help make water work for millions more in Ghana, India, and globally.
About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI): The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global and emerging leaders to create and implement solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI works with partners to drive action through its unique model. Rather than directly implementing projects, CGI facilitates action by helping members connect, collaborate, and develop Commitments to Action — new, specific, and measurable plans that address global challenges. Through CGI, the community has made more than 3,700 Commitments to Action that have made a difference in the lives of more than 435 million people in more than 180 countries.