Progress & Sustainability

On November 29, 2011, the Caterpillar Foundation and Water.org announced a $3 million partnership to reach more than 218,000 people with clean water and sanitation over a three-year period.

The program will support a significant expansion of Water.org's WaterCredit activities in India, and it will fund a market assessment to explore the launch of WaterCredit in Indonesia. WaterCredit facilitates small loans for water and sanitation access for people living in poverty who do not have access to basic necessities.

"We are honored to be working with the Caterpillar Foundation on this high-impact program," said Water.org Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Gary White. "Because of the Caterpillar Foundation's generous support, we will reach more people with clean water and sanitation, at a faster rate, and at a decreasing philanthropic cost per person."

The Caterpillar Foundation grant will support two WaterCredit programs in India. This initiative includes the expansion of a revolving loan fund managed by one of Water.org's partners in Bangalore to provide an additional 38,000 people with access to microloans for clean water and sanitation. Through this financial model, once a loan is repaid, it is then re-lent to another person in need.

"The Caterpillar Foundation supports a number of basic human needs programs in areas where Caterpillar has a presence," said Caterpillar Corporate Public Affairs Director Jim Baumgartner. "The sustainability of Water.org's model is really what drew us to WaterCredit. This program will provide clean water and sanitation facilities to thousands of families in India, but the cycle of progress will continue as the loans are repaid and these funds are provided to others in need."

The Caterpillar Foundation grant also supports Water.org's work with existing microfinance partners in Bangalore and Tamil Nadu, India. The funds will help facilitate WaterCredit loans for sanitation purposes, enabling more than 180,000 residents to gain access to hygienic sanitation facilities. In addition, the grant will fund an initial market assessment and lay the groundwork for the launch of WaterCredit in Indonesia.

Water.org co-founders Gary White and Matt Damon discuss their mission to bring clean and accessible water to impoverished areas of the world through the WaterCredit program.