SOS Sahel UK was part of a multi-agency partnership called the Global Water Initiative (GWI) established to tackle the declining state of the world’s fresh water supply and the lack of access to clean water services by the world’s poorest people. The GWI works in 13 countries in Central America, West Africa and East Africa to address the challenge of providing long-term access to clean water and sanitation, as well as the protection and sustainable management of ecosystem services and watersheds. SOS Sahel UK was part of the West Africa cluster, which focuses on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable communities in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Senegal.

Activities

This global initiative was launched in September 2007 and its activities include:

• Establishing appropriate and sustainable water delivery and sanitation systems
• Empowering local communities to govern and manage their water resources (for example by rehabilitating water harvesting ponds)
• Strengthening understanding and sustainable management of water resources through environmental protection and conservation
• Addressing trans-boundary issues in water basin management
• Strengthening integrated water resource management policy and legislation with respect to tenure of land and water resources
• Building capacity and understanding among the relevant authorities to support participatory and accountable decision making
• Sharing information on the successes and failures of water interventions
• Facilitating inter-governmental coordination and cooperation

Update

The GWI has published its own website - see www.globalwaterinitiative.com.

• CARE USA
• Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
• International Institute for Environment & Development (IIED)
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
• Sahel ECO, Mali