Expanding climate-resilient WASH finance for flood-prone communities in Bangladesh

Partner: Water.org

Big results

Big Blue helped Water.org develop a viable support structure to make financing climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) products in Bangladesh easy. With Big Blue’s active involvement, not limited to conducting market research and designing a comprehensive training programme, the project demonstrated how climate-resilient WASH products can enable households to stay resilient against events such as flash floods taking future growth into consideration.

Story

Bangladesh is one of the world’s most flood-prone countries, with climate change placing increasing pressure on water and sanitation systems. Floods regularly damage water infrastructure, contaminate drinking water, and disrupt access to safe sanitation, disproportionately affecting low-income communities. While Water.org has already helped millions of people gain access to safe water and sanitation, expanding financing for climate-resilient WASH products required a clearer understanding of the market, stronger capacity among microfinance partners, and evidence that these products could work effectively for vulnerable households. Water.org partnered with Big Blue to develop the research, training, and practical tools needed to support this next phase of climate-resilient WASH finance.

Approach

Big Blue conducted a rapid market assessment with microfinance institutions to identify climate-resilient WASH products, assess supplier availability, and determine where different solutions would have the greatest impact. Using these insights, we developed a practical product framework to guide future investments and implementation. Alongside the research, we designed a comprehensive Training of Trainers (ToT) programme that equips microfinance partners with the knowledge and resources to promote climate-resilient WASH products effectively. We also supported the implementation and assessment of a pilot programme, helping evaluate product uptake, loan performance, and early outcomes for participating households.

Results

The project mapped out how financing climate-resilient WASH products in Bangladesh can be done at scale. Based on those insights, Water.org now has the guidance needed for product considerations, target regions, and implementation approaches. The pilot successfully facilitated loans for climate-resilient WASH products, providing early evidence that improved financing can help households better prepare for and recover from flooding. The project also facilitated measures for ongoing monitoring and learning, while laying the foundations for a future centre of excellence to strengthen capacity, knowledge sharing, and long-term investment in climate-resilient WASH across Bangladesh.