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Sanitation and hygiene are incorporated in UNSDG 6 of the United Nations, which has the goal to "ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all" by 2030. Target 6.2 seeks to provide access to proper and equitable sanitation and hygiene and to end, in particular, open defecation, especially for all women and vulnerable members of society. The lack of adequate sanitation defiles health through the spread of diseases such as diarrhea and cholera. This also affects education, dignity, and productivity. (The Global Goals)
This is a well-researched article on organizations that strive toward better global sanitation and hygiene as a part of the overall UNSDG 6. The article gives in-depth details about the contributions, methodologies, and larger exposure of the work of the concerned organizations, which work as invaluable information for the startups and entrepreneurs who would have clear mandates of contributing significantly to working in these critical areas too.
Founder: Marcus Missen (CEO, India)
Founded: 1981
Location: New Delhi, India
WaterAid works toward making lasting changes in access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene. Their work is directed, most importantly, at the poorest and most marginalized communities across India.
Major ongoing projects—
The efforts taken by WaterAid India have definitely drastically reduced open defecation, which now safeguards the spread of diseases. It has touched millions of lives by giving access to sanitation facilities and promoting better hygiene practices. More than that, the organization has proved most effective on the ground in catering to the special needs of women and girls to make sanitation solutions quite inclusive and culturally sensitive.
Founder: Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak
Founded: 1970
Location: Patna, Bihar, India
Sulabh International, besides agitating for social reform, has pioneered low-cost sanitation technologies in India. The organization is probably one of the most well known when it comes to sanitation solutions in the country.
Some of the key initiatives in this regard are as follows-
Sulabh's efforts have resulted in the building of over 1.5 million household toilets and thousands of public sanitation complexes. Quality of life for millions has undergone a paradigm shift, especially for the poor and the downtrodden sections. The Work of the Organization is the lead chapter for social justice and human dignity across the world in general and national typologies in particular.
Founder: Mr. S. Damodaran
Founded: 1987
Location: Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
Gramalaya functions for rural sanitation and community empowerment.
The key projects are as follows-
In effect, this has led to a significant reduction in open defecation and improved sanitation coverage in the areas in which Gramalaya operates. Engaging women in the management of sanitation projects has resulted in greater community ownership and, hence, sustainability. School sanitation initiatives have improved hygiene and reduced diseases among children, leading also to better academic performance.
Founder: Anil Agarwal
Founded: 1980
Location: New Delhi, India
CSE works in the area of sustainable environmental practices with innovative approaches to sanitation.
Their work includes-
CSE has been one of the pioneering organizations in this field in India for advocating the cause of sustainable sanitation practices. The work-based research and the advocacy of CSE have shaped many policies and strengthened the implementation processes concerning the given practices. They have also achieved considerable success in building capacity amongst stakeholders, as a result of which sanitation solutions are sharp and effective.
Founder: Sanjay Banka
Founded: 2012
Location: Hyderabad, India
Banka BioLoo provides eco-friendly bio-digester technology-based sanitation solutions.
The following are some of the key projects conducted by them-
Banka BioLoo has installed thousands of bio-toilets in different parts across India and has revamped the sanitation scenario of areas where there is no conventional sewage system. Their technology offers a clean solution, not just for hygiene but also for environmental sustainability by reducing waste. The innovative approach has been recognized and supported by different sectors, including government and corporate entities.
Founder: Siddeek Ahmed
Founded: 2008
Location: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Eram Scientific Solutions is known for their “eToilet” innovation.
Key projects include-
Eram's eToilets revolutionized public sanitation. The technology has cleaned, made it efficient, and provided easy access to areas with public facilities. It comes remarkably handy for high-density urban spaces, thereby improving urban sanitation and setting a new standard in public health infrastructure. The model has been replicated in many cities, which is a sheer example of the massive scale of tech-driven solutions possible in sanitation.
Founder: Valentin Post and Vijay Athreye
Founded: 2009
Location: Lucknow, UP, India
FINISH Society works on integrated solutions for sanitation by integrating finance with hygiene. Some of its main programs include-
FINISH Society has helped to build thousands of toilets through their innovative financing models. They have successfully bundled together solutions with financial inclusion, thereby empowering investment into infrastructure by the community. In doing so, they have significantly improved the facilities and habits in rural and urban sanitation and hygiene.
Founded: 2007
Location: Global (Network of Organizations)
SuSanA is working to advocate and promote sustainable sanitation. The key projects are -
SuSanA has been such a force for advocacy globally for sanitation and procedure change. Having organized this network, it is easier to work in conjunction with the various sectors that were, before, hard to access. It is through this that some inventive solutions have been able to be achieved, and the best practices have been disseminated the most effectively. Campaigns by SuSanA have ensured that discussions on sustainable sanitation continue to be a pressing issue on the agenda at the global level.
Founded: 2014
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
The Toilet Board Coalition works in market-based sanitation solutions.
Key projects are-
The Toilet Board Coalition, on the other hand, has done well to mobilize the market for sanitation products and services. They have helped entrepreneurs breathe life into innovation and have since developed scalable solutions to respond to the myriad challenges in sanitation. Focus in the circular economy also means environmental sustainability, converting waste into resources.
Founder: Kumar Anurag Pratap
Founded: 2013
Location: Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
Svadha is a social enterprise catering to the lack of adequate access to sanitation products in rural India.
Key projects include-
Svadha's innovative business model has been responsible for mainstreaming access to sanitation products within rural Odisha and several other parts of the country. Besides that, through its attempts of making the local entrepreneurs self-dependent, the organization has been able to create a lot of economic opportunities for them, and at the same time, they are able to meet their critical sanitation needs. Their efforts have brought a significant reduction in open defecation and better hygienic conditions in the areas they serve.
Founders: David Auerbach, Ani Vallabhaneni, Lindsay Stradley
Founded: 2010
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Sanergy's Fresh Life project provides sustainable sanitation in urban slums. Its key initiatives are as follows-
Fresh Life has installed hundreds of sanitation facilities, offering safe and dignified sanitation solutions to thousands of residents within Nairobi's informal settlements. Their work yields not only sanitation gains but also a potentially viable business model that works for local entrepreneurs and the environment. The project gained international recognition for its sustainable and scalable impact.
Founders: Gary White, Matt DamonFounded: 2009Location: Global (Headquartered in Kansas City, USA)
Water.org has a vision through financing improved means of access to water and sanitation.
The following are the key initiatives-
Water.org empowers people around the world to have access to safe water and sanitation facilities by using the program WaterCredit. They have empowered the people with microfinance for improving basic living conditions that result in good health and economic well-being and thereby improving the quality of life. This has made the model effective and scalable in different countries including India.
The story of these organizations presents very wide-ranging approaches and innovations toward solving the challenges of sanitation and hygiene, aligned to UNSDG 6. From tech-driven solutions like Eram Scientific's eToilets to solutions that are community-based, like the empowerment of women through sanitation at Gramalaya, the organizations ensure safe and equal access to sanitation. This is much more than just an exercise in building infrastructure; it includes behavior change, hygiene promotion, and community empowerment.
In the sanitation sector, there are a myriad of opportunities in which innovation can lead to significant impact by the startups and entrepreneurs, may it either be new technology development, creation of sustainable business models, or social advocacy—all have a key contribution to make towards furthering global sanitation goals. Through the interaction of new ideas and existing organizations, startups are capable of narrowing the existing gap between current situations and ambitious targets placed with the UNSDGs. This concerted effort of governments, NGOs, the private sector, and civil society will bring universal access to clean water and sanitation— catalytic effects—towards improved health, dignity, and economic growth for all.
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