ALICANTE, Spain — Many in the water, sanitation, and hygiene sector were excited by the recent launch of a first-of-its-kind Sanitation and Hygiene Fund, meant to replicate the kind of multilateral funding platforms found in other sectors. But raising billions of dollars for a sector that has typically been underfunded, and amid the economic hardships of a pandemic, could pose a challenge.
“Right now, everyone is going to be fighting tooth and nail for funding,” said Ranil Dissanayake, policy fellow at the Center for Global Development.
Usually, that would be done in person; instead, the new fundraising team is “doing it all online, so we have to have realistic expectations for the coming year,” said Dominic O’Neill, the fund’s executive director.