Assessing Microfinance for Water and Sanitation: Exploring Opportunities for Sustainable Scaling Up

This 2008 study, commissioned by the Gates Foundation’s Water, Sanitation & Hygiene initiative, examines the potential market for expanding small-scale banking and credit services to the poor, enabling them to pay for sustainable water and sanitation. The study draws its information from the following sources:* Global datasets and activities in 38 countries throughout Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

*Interviews with nearly 100 practitioners from the microfinance and water, sanitation, & hygiene sectors.