Access to finance remains a major barrier for water supply and sanitation (WSS) micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Vietnam. This limits their ability to scale operations and improve service delivery. Despite rising demand for clean water and sanitation services, these businesses face significant challenges, such as limited credit histories, a lack of tailored financial products, and unclear bankability criteria. These challenges restrict their access to formal financing.
MSC conducted a qualitative market study to address this. We sought to identify financing gaps and explore ways to enhance financial institutions’ engagement with the WSS sector. The study included interviews with 14 financial institutions and 15 WSS-focused MSMEs across urban and rural regions. It mapped the current lending landscape, assessed financing needs, and analysed stakeholder perceptions and practices.
We conducted in-depth market research to evaluate MSMEs’ borrowing behavior, operational models, financial constraints, and readiness for credit. These insights helped shape targeted strategies to unlock financing. Some strategies included product design, capacity building for lenders, blended finance opportunities, and regulatory guidance to improve MSME bankability.
The findings enabled Water.org to understand the WSS financing ecosystem in Vietnam better. The organization developed a six-point action plan. The plan recommended actions to strengthen partnerships with government stakeholders, organize a national forum, and form a local implementation team. It also highlighted how to engage financial institutions, assess financial product viability, and explore blended finance solutions.
Water.org commissioned this project.
Access to safe sanitation in high-traffic urban and peri-urban areas has been especially limited for women, transgender individuals, and female traffic personnel. Marginalized groups also lacked structured training and dignified livelihoods in the sanitation sector.
MSC designed and implemented high-impact water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and gender-inclusive initiatives. We introduced Pink Toilets, which are inclusive public facilities with dedicated transgender units, baby care amenities, and rest areas for female traffic officers. A self-sustaining operations and maintenance model was developed with women-led self-help groups and urban local bodies. FARMER and the Indian Railway Finance Corporation’s corporate social funding also financed the project and integrated it into state policy frameworks.
We anchored the establishment of Bihar Swachhta Sansthan, a first-of-its-kind sanitation training college with support from the World Toilet Organization. 20 Pink Toilets were approved across major cities. These created livelihood opportunities for women-led self-help groups and strengthened Bihar’s urban sanitation ecosystem. The inclusive WASH model for highways received in-principle funding from the Asian Development Bank and secured inter-departmental alignment for future rollout.
The Gates Foundation, on behalf of the Government of Bihar, commissioned this project.
Access to finance for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and small enterprises remains limited across many developing regions. This is due to a lack of tailored financial products, market insights, and delivery tools. This financing gap restricts underserved households and communities from accessing sustainable WASH solutions. It also undermines efforts to improve health and economic resilience.
To address this, Water.org engaged MSC to scale its innovative WaterCredit concept and develop five practical toolkits to help banks, MFIs, and NGOs build strong WASH finance portfolios. The toolkits covered opportunity mapping, product development, marketing, delivery, and portfolio management. Water.org partners across Asia, Africa, and Latin America have widely adopted these toolkits.
MSC provided technical assistance to help partners identify market opportunities, design relevant financial products, establish delivery systems, and manage WASH loan portfolios effectively.
To date, WaterCredit has enabled more than 12 million families in 12 countries to access water and sanitation solutions. More than 10 financial institutions in Africa have implemented products aligned to WaterCredit. More than 150 bank managers in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania have been trained to use this toolkit. By 2017, WaterCredit had generated USD 1.5 billion in commercial financing for the WASH sector. This demonstrates the power of well-designed financial solutions to drive scale and impact.
Water.org commissioned this project.
Access to financing for Kenya’s WASH and SME sectors remains limited due to the absence of targeted financial solutions and market intelligence. Family Bank sought to explore these opportunities but lacked the strategic insights to establish a dedicated unit.
MSC conducted a comprehensive market assessment across Nairobi, Kisumu, and Embu to identify financing gaps, assess consumer behavior, and benchmark competition in the WASH finance space. We applied behavioral research methods and business analytics to design a strategic framework for market entry. The project team segmented customers, assessed market demand for WASH and SME financial products, and proposed viable financial products and delivery mechanisms to support the bank’s expansion into this segment.
This engagement strengthened the bank’s strategic positioning to serve underserved WASH and SME markets with tailored financial solutions. These products would ultimately support the bank’s broader financial inclusion agenda.
The Family Bank of Kenya commissioned this project.
Ghana’s sanitation entrepreneurs faced significant barriers to growth due to limited business and financial literacy, which hindered their ability to scale sustainable WASH services.
MSC supported the rollout of the “AhoteƐ” WASH loan product. It designed and implemented a training of trainers (ToT) program for WASH SME trainers. The assignment sought to equip trainers with the tools, knowledge, and mindset to deliver practical business management and financial literacy training to sanitation entrepreneurs countrywide. MSC developed a WASH SME training manual, an operator learning diary, and ready-to-use business tools. The ToT sessions were conducted in Accra and Kumasi and were followed by pilot training sessions delivered to actual SME clients.
This engagement enhanced the capacity of 45 branch trainers and equipped Sinapi Aba Trust with large-scale training resources, which are expected to benefit more than 1,000 sanitation entrepreneurs.
Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans commissioned this project.
For years, low-income women in Kenya have struggled to access financial services for improved water and sanitation. Therefore, the Kenya Women Microfinance Bank (KWFT) needed to refine its WASH offerings to serve this segment better.
MSC aligned WASH finance offerings with the needs of low-income women and underserved communities. Our team conducted customer segmentation through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews across four regions—Central Nyanza, Western, Lower Eastern, and Mt. Kenya North. We also mapped the WASH ecosystem and assessed potential partnerships with suppliers, utility providers, and vendors. Based on these insights, we proposed refinements to existing products and developed new product concepts tailored to sanitation and water access. A pilot testing plan and marketing strategy were developed to guide implementation and strengthen market positioning.
This engagement enhanced the institution’s ability to deliver relevant and impactful financial solutions to vulnerable populations in the water and sanitation space.
The KWFT commissioned this project.