Water.org Surpasses $1 Billion Mobilized for Water and Sanitation in Bangladesh

Water.org, a global nonprofit founded by Gary White and Matt Damon, with operations in 11 countries, has mobilised over $1 billion in Bangladesh as of December 2025.

Water.org focuses on enabling access to safe water and safely managed sanitation by enabling sustainable financial solutions.

This $1 billion figure is the cumulative capital Water.org has mobilized through its network of leading microfinance institutions (MFIs) and private commercial banks since its journey began in Bangladesh.

Sajid Amit, Executive Director, South Asia at Water.org, noted: "This achievement is only the foundation on which we hope to accumulate more impact for the country and the world. Mobilizing $1 billion is not just a financial feat, it represents 13 million lives transformed. We are now focused on institutionalizing these successes through capital market innovations and climate-resilient infrastructure. I am very grateful to all my colleagues in country, regionally, and globally for their steadfast orientation to service and mission. I hope we continue to stay humble and ambitious in solving problems like access to safe water and safely managed sanitation"

Abu Aslam, Portfolio Lead at Water.org Bangladesh, added: "Reaching 61 districts and covering nearly 18% of the national water and sanitation gap through commercial capital is a significant step toward a water secure Bangladesh. As we look forward, our priority is to integrate water and sanitation financing into the broader economic framework of the country."

Manoj Gulati, Regional Director, South Asia at Water.org stated: "This $1 billion milestone is a testament to the resilience of the Bangladeshi people and the maturity of its financial markets. By proving that the poor are creditworthy and willing to invest in their own health, we have created a scalable blueprint for the entire region to follow in the pursuit of SDG6."

Water.org has also contributed to BRAC Bank's BDT 1000 Crore social bond by enabling a carve-out for WASH at BDT 100 Crore and is working on a dollar-denominated bond, which is also be the country's first ever. It has also pioneered a marketplace for climate-resilient water and sanitation loans, with over 10,000 loans disbursed in 2025 and is working closely with the Bangladesh Municipal Development Fund to unlock greater fund flows to climate-resilient infrastructure projects for water and sanitation access in Bangladesh.