Greenmoney: Investing in the Future of Water and Sanitation

credit:

Matt Damon and Gary White are putting their money where their mouth is.

The two are co-founder and CEO of WaterEquity, a nonprofit that aims to improve access to safe water and sanitation around the world, USA Today reports.

"Access to safe water and sanitation is a fundamental human right under binding international law," White says in a press release.

"Yet today, a global water crisis still persists."

According to the UN, more than 3.5 billion people worldwide lack access to safely managed sanitation and more than 2.2 billion people lack access to safe water.

WaterEquity estimates that if 600 million low-income people could get financing for water and sanitation services over the next decade, the market would be worth $35 billion.

WaterEquity has made more than $360 million in investments in four private investment funds that have reached more than 5 million people with increased access to safe water and sanitation.

And 93% of the people taking out the micro loans are women.

"Ensuring equitable access to safe water and sanitation cannot be accomplished without giving women the power and the capital to solve for their futures," White says in the press release.

WaterEquity's investment funds lend money to financial institutions in developing countries to expand water and sanitation lending.

The loans are repaid at an average rate of 97%

Read the Entire Article

How's Your Community Doing?
Check Out it's
Community Vital Signs

Momentus Capital Closes $171 Million Equitable Prosperity Fund
Foundation: Marguerite Casey Foundation, Marguerite Casey Foundation, Kresge Foundation

Stephen Stephens' father died of cancer when he was 53, and his message to young people has stayed with him. "Always do the right thing son," he tells Fast Company. "That message has always...more

6 Things to Know When Building an Authentic Green Brand

When it comes to sustainability, Entrepreneur says, "it takes more than just lip service." That's because it takes a "thorough commitment to evaluate every aspect of your operation to develop...more

Who Serves Humanity &Amp; Strives to Make the World a Better Place?
Foundation: Indianapolis Foundation

Lynne Arriale's new album, Being Human, is all about "people who exemplify Passion, courage, love, curiosity, and other human qualities," the Florida pianist tells Rita Kohn of the Indianapolis...more

Unoma Okorafor, Co-Founder, Fairview Data Technologies

When Unoma Okorafor started working on her master's degree in computer science at the African University of Science and Technology in Abuja, Nigeria, in the mid-'90s, she had no idea she'd end up in...more

As Some Question Higher Ed'S Value, Colleges Work To Fix The 'Time Trap'

"Time-trap thinking seems logical," writes Lori Carrell in the Los Angeles Times, "but it's short-sighted: Degrees mean real earning power and career growth, and many students do work during...more

How Philanthropy Can Help to Accelerate Sustainable Development Goals

"If the class register were anything to go by, education would be one of modern civilization's greatest success stories." That's what Peter Wilson, a member of the UBS Accelerate Collective, had...more

As Melinda French Gates Leaves the Gates Foundation, Many Hope She'Ll ...
Foundation: Gates Foundation

Melinda French Gates is stepping down as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which she founded with her ex-husband Bill Gates more than 20 years ago. As part of an agreement made...more

Nada Show Attend

If you're in the market for a new car, the NADA Show in New Orleans in January is your best chance to see what's out there. Here's a look at some of the buzzy new offerings, courtesy of Jalopnik,...more

Potato Power: Ongoing Philanthropic Collaboration Elevates Research in Sustainable Agriculture

Ahmad Al-Mallahi is a professor of agricultural engineering and sensing technologies at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, and he's spent the past five years developing technology that could...more

Microschools Offer Montana Families Creative, Learner-Centered Education Options

When Christa Hayes' kids shut down their public schools in 2020, the Montana math professor started hearing from parents seeking help for their children's schoolwork and wanting to find a way for...more