Landscaping study done for Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation found IRC in 2005 through web research on the water sector. In 2006 IRC together with Cranfield University and Aquaconsult in the UK won a tender to assist the foundation in their exploration to move into structural financing of water, sanitation and hygiene. The partnership produced a mapping and landscaping study for the foundation. This included producing consolidated papers on innovative approaches and technologies for improved water, sanitation and hygiene.

Areas of learning

The foundation’s exploration of the WS&H sector is currently being guided by five questions that they believe will help identify the most effective, sustainable, and scalable approaches. Several of these questions have been answered by the ‘landscaping’ of existing and emerging WS&H technologies and service delivery.

1. Stimulating Demand: Can better approaches to stimulating demand encourage people to adopt and sustain good sanitary and hygiene practices?

2. Improving Technologies and Products: Can technologies and products that are cheaper, more effective, or easier to use help address unmet WS&H needs?

3. Delivering Market-based Services: Can approaches that rely on the market deliver better WS&H products and services at scale?

4. Country-Wide Programmes: Can small, leveraged investments at the country level increase impact and sustainability?

5. Research and Data: Can better information on the transmission of water-related diseases and the relative effectiveness of different interventions lead to better investment decisions? “

These focal areas are subject to change as the Gates Foundation continues to learn about the WS&H sector.