London, August 2024
In 2024, Bidhaa Sasa partnered with Aqua for All and the Impact-Linked Fund for WASH (ILF for WASH) to pilot a new financing approach that rewards social impact. We received an Impact-Linked Loan (ILL), a highly forgivable loan tied to measurable outcomes – specifically, the distribution of water tanks to rural households in Kenya.
This partnership marked a significant shift. As our co-founder Rocío Pérez-Ochoa noted, “Aqua for All was the first-ever funder to recognise the value of our water tanks—when no other capital provider had cared about our WASH solution before.”
Our direct-to-consumer model, facilitated through women’s groups, enables rural families to access water tanks via affordable installment payments. These tanks allow households to collect and store rainwater, reducing reliance on distant or unsafe water sources. The impact is tangible: women save 1 to 4 hours daily previously spent fetching water, and families gain access to cleaner water for household use.
The ILL structure aligns financial terms with our mission. As Rocío explained,
“Usually, it’s the exact opposite: Investors want the full triple bottom line performance but are not ready to sacrifice any returns. Their motto is ‘no trade-offs, please’. With ILF, however, both sides win, the entrepreneur and the investor.”
This collaboration exemplifies how innovative financing can support last-mile distribution models, ensuring that essential WASH products reach those who need them most.