Can you imagine a world in which water is so scarce, it has to be transported to your community via a government-operated train or if the only safe way for you to consume your morning glass of water is via a dirty pond with a 12-inch long filtering straw? Believe it or not, for billions of people across the world, quick fixes like these are their everyday reality.
1.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water; 2.4 billion lack access to improved sanitation (UNEP). Adrien Couton, Acumen’s Water Portfolio Manager, cited these statistics and others at Acumen Fund’s Water breakfast this week. Despite such sobering numbers, I came away from the breakfast with a sense of hope that even though there is no silver bullet, we are getting closer to understanding how to address the complex issue of water.
Adrien first discussed the need to move beyond our strong inclination that the latest and greatest technology will solve all of our problems. A perfect example is Water Health International (WHI), an Acumen Fund investment since 2003. Water Health International recognized that just because they had a proven technology didn’t mean the poor were going to buy their water.
Click to continue reading “Thoughts on Acumen Fund’s Water Breakfast”

LifeSpring’s maternity hospital
Last month,
Editor’s note: