Voss Foundation was founded in 2008 by Knut Brundtland, who at that time was the CEO of VOSS Artesian Water from Norway. Voss Foundation is dedicated to funding access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene as a means to enable community-driven development in Sub-Saharan Africa and raising awareness of the ongoing need in the region.
To successfully work toward their mission to provide sustainable access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene as a means to enable community-driven development in Sub-Saharan Africa, Voss Foundation supports projects that have a Ripple Effect on communities. They employ an approach prioritizing strong partnerships that enable them to follow-up and maintain a high level of transparency.
They believe sustainable access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is more than the construction of a new water point or the rehabilitation of an old one. For Voss Foundation, sustainable access starts before implementation and continues after construction or rehabilitation is completed. Over time, it acts “an engine for growth” that creates a Ripple Effect, as access to WASH is inextricably linked to other sectors of development.
Sustainable access is impossible without dedicated partners who have a long-term commitment to the region and dedication to remaining in touch with their beneficiary communities for years after implementation. Some of their partners do not focus exclusively on WASH, but all need access to access to WASH to achieve their respective missions.
Voss Foundation funds partners, not projects or countries, and they don’t limit the length of their partnerships. They provide both project-specific and institutional support. In terms of project support they fund, in full, projects providing access to clean water and support other water-related development needs. For partners who require it, they may also help build capacity, from how to improve proposals, budgeting, and reporting to exploring how partners can learn from one another.
Once their Board has approved a project, they work with their partners to comprehensively assess and address the diverse water and sanitation needs of each community, with special consideration for the impact on women and girls. They then help their partners implement projects that are technologically, culturally, and environmentally appropriate. They ensure members of local community are provided with the technical, operation, and financial training to manage and maintain the infrastructure. Most importantly, they follow up to track their projects for years to learn about their impact over time. It is important for them to know when are projects are operational, and when they’re not, and to be able to share this with their donors.
