WaterLife Overview, Methods, Progress and Goals

WaterLife Foundation, Inc. (WaterLife) is a self-sustaining, non-profit, 501(c)(3) charity that has a governing board and professional staff. WaterLife provides funding and appropriate technology solutions to communities facing clean water and sanitation challenges. WaterLife plans, leads and implements its own water and sanitation projects.

WaterLife stakeholders include communities in need of clean, safe, affordable water and sanitation, governments of these communities, ngos that serve these disadvantaged communities, and WaterLife funders, sponsors, partners and people.

WaterLife programs include financing our own WaterLife field projects, grant funding to support third party water and sanitation programs that include education, training, and services, practical, appropriate technology solutions backed by advanced engineering, sponsorship of two annual cash awards in the SocialReturns Business Plan Competition for a nonprofit/ngo/public entity operating a sustainable clean water and sanitation venture, and support for next generation technologies from universities, research centers, corporations and social entrepreneurs worldwide.

WaterLife methods focus on tangible and measurable results: fewer people drinking bad water, more people with good sanitation and creation of solutions appealing to all stakeholders: thirsty communities will have water and the dignity of improved sanitation. WaterLife incorporates our corporate and private sponsors' needs as we facilitate best practice solutions in communities based on their self-identified needs. WaterLife leverages the proven strength of the global corporate/private sector through varying means of financial and in-kind product support.

WaterLife will leverage partnerships in pursuit of its mission by supporting public and non-profit entities whose mission is the provision of clean water and sanitation. WaterLife will be a catalyst for research institutions and entrepreneurs who seek to develop and promote clean water and sanitation technology for use in developing countries. WaterLife will facilitate strategic partnerships between and across all stakeholders.

WaterLife projects are distinguished by local ownership and sustainable practices, inclusive approach and management style, local training of trainers, focus on long-term sustainability, appropriate technologies and models: wells, pumps, storage tanks, hygiene, education, distribution and purification systems and relevancy to sponsoring partners' goals.

WaterLife progress includes 2 projects planned and implemented in Cameroon; scoping and test project planned and implemented in Nigeria; scoping project, plan finalized, pending implementation in the Dominican Republic; and a collaborative project in the planning stage in Haiti.

WaterLife near term goals are to build a scalable model in 2005-2007, achieve full-scale implementation in 2007-2008 and target less than 10% overhead cost for operations.