Deadline: 28-Feb-23

HELIOZ is inviting expressions of interest to join the HELIOZ Water4Africa Partnership Program to provide 1 million people in rural areas of developing African countries with access to safe drinking water, while promoting economic development and climate innovations.

This call aims to initiate partnerships for the development and implementation of several project proposals. They encourage organizations across all countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Program Mission

• According to UNICEF, 785 million people today do not have basic access to water. Africa, in particular Sub-Saharan Africa, is affected by lack of water infrastructure and climate change. Girls, women, and people living with disabilities are impacted the most, with negative consequences on health, nutrition, education and chances of transcending the cycle of poverty.
• To tackle this challenge, HELIOZ sets itself a mission to provide 1 million people with safe drinking water. It intends to do so by launching several country projects in the course of 2023 providing rural communities with access to safe drinking water, while promoting additional economic and social outcomes. The projects will leverage carbon finance, and where available, public finance as funding mechanisms.
• HELIOZ is inviting organizations in the region to jointly work on the preparation and implementation of several country projects, each expected to assist between 15,000-30,000 households for a period of 5 years (with the possibility of extension).

Project Objectives

• Country projects will deliver on several SDGs, while leveraging water disinfection technology developed by HELIOZ called WADI.
• WADI is a household-level water disinfection device based on solar water disinfection. Approved by the WHO as an effective method for household water treatment, WADI enables household access to safe drinking water (SDG 6). It provides real-time information to its users about whether unsafe water collected from surface areas (ponds, rivers, ground, unfiltered rainwater etc.) is free from e-coli bacteria and other pathogens, and is hence safe to drink.
• The technology has a catalytic impact on the environment and communities. The change from the common method of boiling water for safety to the use of WADI leads to a reduction of CO2 emissions since no wood or coal has to be burned (SDG 13). Communities in poor regions with no accessible method of water disinfection at all, including water boiling, gain access to an environmentally friendly method allowing them to meet their human development needs.
• Water-borne diseases are drastically reduced, resulting in substantial savings for families otherwise spent on healthcare (SDG 3). Indoor air pollution is reduced and the burden on local forests lowered due to the decreasing need for firewood (SDG 15). Additionally, communities benefit from economic empowerment, greater gender equality and climate resilience through project interventions tailored to specific contexts.

Funding Approach

• The projects will be primarily funded with carbon finance. Such funding is accessible on the so-called voluntary carbon markets (VCMs), which match the demand for and offer of verified emission reductions. To secure funding on the market, projects need to meet the quality criteria of internationally recognized certification programs for climate projects, uphold compliance with the Paris Agreement and comply with national climate policy and legislation.
• Additional funding sources and local contributions (financial and in-kind) will be identified by partners to cover selected project activities.
• Specific funding arrangements will depend on the results of due diligence in each country/project. The following process is envisioned:
  • Phase 1 – Due diligence and project proposal development:
    • HELIOZ and the partner will share costs for preparatory research and planning activities:
      • identification of a promising country region meeting HELIOZ criteria for site selection,
      • implementation of a baseline research study following HELIOZ methodology, and
      • development and tailoring of project activities and budget.
  • Phase 2- Project implementation:
    • HELIOZ will take the lead in securing core project funding for a period of 5 years. Partner budget will be negotiated as part of project proposal development. Please note that, generally, the purpose of HELIOZ funds is to cover project-related activities and not organizational contributions.

What attributes does the HELIOZ team offer in a partnership?

• They bring expertise in the field of water disinfection and development of high-integrity and high-impact climate projects. They are a fullservice provider – from concept development to implementation and impact assessment.
• They are committed to innovation and their base pillars are water for all, sustainable project design and long-lasting SDG impact.
• They have an international project portfolio and an emerging community of practice. HELIOZ Group has entities in Austria and India, and their project information can be accessed on their website, Gold Standard Impact Registry and annual report.
• They are an international dedicated team with a changemaker mindset and diverse skillsets and expertise including project development, technology development, international development and entrepreneurship.
• They value their partners as their co-creators. Together they learn, assess, and identify solutions to best serve project beneficiaries.

What kind of attributes are they ideally looking for in your organization?

• Profit or not-for-profit organization based in the project country and having physical and cultural proximity to a potential region/district,
• Experience working on innovations in water access and other WASH topics, livelihood improvement, economic empowerment, climate resilience or adaptation, or similar,
• Experience working on monitoring and evaluation activities, including survey implementation,
• Local and international network involving key decision-makers at the policy and community level,
• Diversified, well-resourced project portfolio (existing and/pipeline),
• Participation of women in leadership/ management, and commitment to diversity,
• Changemaker mindset and strong problemsolving attitude.

Eligibility Criteria

• HELIOZ hereby invite organizations, profit and non-profit, with active operations in Sub-Saharan Africa to submit their expressions of interest to join the program.
• Successful applicants will work closely with HELIOZ on the development and implementation of projects while having the opportunity to join its international water and climate community. Organizations with a changemaker mindset and an established project portfolio are particularly encouraged to apply.

For more information, visit HELIOZ.