Independent review of Aqua for All

We executed an independent review of Aqua for All’s Making Water Count programme to help shape its future strategy

 Aqua for All is a Dutch government funded non-profit focused on increase access to safe water and sanitation solutions that are inclusive, sustainable and scalable. Aqua for All’s Making Water Count programme aims to accelerate SDG6 (clean water and sanitation) by strengthening local water and sanitation focused medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the form of technical or commercial assistance and/or deployment of innovative financial instruments that aim to catalyse further investment. As the programme’s funding window is due for renewal in 2024, Aqua for All engaged Steward Redqueen to evaluate the performance of the programme and provide strategic advice for its future direction.

We conducted extensive semi-structured interviews with Aqua for All’s staff, supported projects and companies, partner financial intermediaries and industry peers to identify and understand the programme’s strengths, challenges, and drivers of success. We also visited various projects and partnerships in Kenya, one of Aqua for All key focus countries. This was complemented by a quantitative portfolio analysis to make sense of how the programme is performing against its strategic development targets. Based on our findings, we developed recommendations to help sharpen the programme’s future focus.

The resulting evaluation was used in several sessions with Aqua for All’s management and its core funder, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The findings and recommendations help inform the Making Water Count programme’s direction in the coming years.