Government officials, development partners, and private sector representatives convened at Protea Hotel in Kampala for the launch of a landmark partnership between Equity Bank Uganda and Water.org, aimed at accelerating access to clean water and improved sanitation across the country.
Equity Bank Uganda’s Director for Public Sector and Social Investment, Catherine Psomgen, hailed the partnership as “a bold step in our journey to transform lives and livelihoods through inclusive and sustainable financial solutions.”
She noted that the collaboration builds on the success of a similar initiative launched in 2011 between Water.org and Equity Bank Kenya, which pioneered innovative products such as the Maji Loan and Jamii Safi Loan—financing thousands of households and communities to access safe water and better sanitation. A 2023 assessment, she added, identified Uganda as one of the countries with the greatest unmet demand for water and sanitation financing.
“The partnership seeks to introduce affordable and accessible financial products tailored for the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector, in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and *SDG 13 (Climate Action),” said Ms Psomgen.
Through the collaboration, Equity Bank Uganda will roll out its EquiGreen Loan portfolio to fund water and sanitation initiatives for households, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and community-based organisations. The programme also includes staff training, technical assistance from Water.org, and data-driven impact monitoring to ensure measurable social outcomes.
“Access to clean water is not just a basic need—it is a foundation for health, productivity, and economic empowerment,” Ms Psomgen added. “Through this partnership, we are financing more than infrastructure; we are financing dignity, health, and opportunity.”
Water.org Africa Regional Director, Francis Musinguzi, emphasised that water is a cornerstone of all development efforts. “There is no project you can run that is not linked to water,” he said. Highlighting Uganda’s urgent needs, Musinguzi revealed that 68% of Ugandans still lack access to clean water, and bridging this gap would require an estimated Shs10 trillion annually.
“That is why Water.org sought the partnership of a financial institution—to provide sustainable, scalable financing solutions,” he added, underscoring the importance of digital innovation, strong local ecosystems, and private investment in addressing the water crisis.
Dr Callist Tindimugaya, Commissioner for Water Resources at the Ministry of Water and Environment, commended the initiative, noting that it complements government efforts under a new national water investment programme. “Partnerships like this are crucial to achieving our vision of ensuring every Ugandan has access to safe water and dignified sanitation,” he said.
Yunia Musazi, Executive Director of the Uganda Water and Sanitation NGO Network (UWASANET), praised the collaboration as a model for sustainable financing in the WASH sector. She noted that Uganda loses an estimated Shs6 trillion annually due to inadequate water and sanitation services, adding that partnerships like this could help reverse those losses and improve quality of life nationwide.
