West Africa Water Initiative

"The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) formally endorsed “part- nerships” as a model for action. Organizations around the world are strengthening existing alliances, and fostering new collaborations to make progress on achieving WSSD and Millennium Development Goals. As part of the global movement towards partnership, the 45 million dollar West Africa Water Initiative (WAWI) was created. Inspired by the vision of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, this public-private part- nership grew from years of experience with World Vision and other international non-governmental partners. The initiative is currently engaged in water supply, sanitation, hygiene, and integrated water resources management activities that will provide benefts to more than 500,000 people in West Africa by 2008...

"WAWI partners are:

• Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
• Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development
• Desert Research Institute
• Helen Keller International
• International Trachoma Initiative
• Lions Clubs International
• United Nations Foundation
• UNICEF
• USAID
• WaterAid
• Winrock International
• World Chlorine Council
• World Vision

"The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has committed more than $19 million of its resources over six years to this new alliance. USAID’s investment commitment currently reaches over $6 million to be spent over four years. The World Chlorine Council (a private sector industry association) will contribute a product donation valued at $300,000. Other partners bring signifcant matches of their own resources to the table, totaling over $18 million."