Denver-based charity Water For People has received a US$ 5.6 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support their Sanitation as a Business program.
The four-year grant allows Water For People to test and scale-up sustainable sanitation services in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The program will combine profit incentives for small local companies and income generation programs for poor households and schools. The aim is bring about a shift from “unsustainable, subsidy-based sanitation programs toward sustainable, profitable sanitation services”. To bring about this shift, the program will employ the business principles of market research and segmentation as well as comprehensive community involvement and evaluation of results.
Water For People first began experimenting with Sanitation as a Business principles in Malawi, Africa in 2008. Since then, sanitation entrepreneurs have developed ongoing maintenance relationships with households to service over 1,000 latrines.
Read more about Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Read the full press release (Peter Mason, Water For People, 30 Aug 2010)
Sanitation Updates 
Plaudits to Water for People for receiving the $5.6 million Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grant! The work by Water for People to test and scale-up sustainable sanitation services in Africa, Asia, and Latin America is vital and should prove to be a meaningful way to help solve the world-wide water sanitation crisis.
As our organization can attest to, sustainable, clean-water solutions and well managed sanitation operations with proper oversight and involved government leadership are all very important approaches in seeking to bring safe drinking water to under-served populations. Community involvement is a pivotal part of this equation, as well.
Congratulations to Water for People!