Opportunities
Grants, VC funds, accelerators, and competitions for African entrepreneurs.
Grants, VC funds, accelerators, and competitions for African entrepreneurs.
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$500K–$50M+ (country program allocations, not direct startup grants)
RWSSI is an Africa-wide initiative hosted by the African Development Bank to accelerate access to safe water and sanitation in rural Africa. It has facilitated access to drinking water for 134 million people and improved sanitation for 90 million people. The initiative operates through country-level programs funded via the RWSSI Trust Fund (€189.2M committed) and AfDB lending operations.
Investment Financing
Large-scale funding for rural water supply infrastructure and sanitation facilities through AfDB lending and trust fund grants
Sector Systems Strengthening
Support for national water sector policies, institutional capacity, and monitoring systems
Advocacy & Knowledge Building
Research, conferences, and advocacy for rural water and sanitation policy at continental level
Technical Assistance
Expert support for project design, implementation, and sustainability of water and sanitation infrastructure
Rural Water Supply
Accelerating access to safe drinking water in rural Africa through infrastructure investment and service delivery models
Rural Sanitation
Improving sanitation facilities and hygiene practices in rural communities across Africa
Sector Governance
Strengthening national water and sanitation sector governance, policies, and institutional frameworks
Sustainability & Maintenance
Ensuring long-term sustainability of water infrastructure through community management and maintenance systems
Country-level rural water and sanitation programs aligned with national WASH strategies. RWSSI prioritizes programs that demonstrate sector-wide approaches, community engagement, sustainability planning, and alignment with AfDB country strategies. The initiative favors projects with strong government ownership and co-financing commitments.
Technical assistance, project supervision, sector knowledge sharing, and linkages to AfDB's broader water portfolio
Not a direct startup funder — operates through government channels and AfDB country programs; Long institutional decision timelines typical of MDB operations; Requires government co-financing and ownership; Trust fund has finite donor contributions (€189.2M committed to date)
RWSSI is relevant for organizations working on rural WASH at scale, not for individual startups. If you are a social enterprise or NGO in rural water service delivery, the path in is through AfDB country-level project procurement. The RWSSI Trust Fund provides grant financing that complements AfDB loans. Impact to date: 134M people with water access, 90M with improved sanitation.
2003
Active Since
Yes
Deploying
Rural water programs across multiple African countries; 134 million people reached with drinking water access; 90 million people reached with improved sanitation