BESTSELLER Foundation is embarking on a three-year collaboration with WaterAid's corporate collective action program, the Women + Water Collaborative. This initiative aims to improve health, livelihoods, and climate resilience in water-stressed communities in India.

In recent years, the project has brought together companies from different sectors spanning apparel, biopharma, agriculture, beverage, asset management, manufacturing, technology, and technology solutions to provide access to clean water and sanitation in the same communities.

“We are truly grateful for Bestseller Foundation’s leadership in the Women + Water Collaborative, standing alongside global companies and WaterAid, this partnership is essential to advancing equitable access to water and creating opportunities for women and girls,” says Adam Jacobi Head of WaterAid in Denmark. 

Empowering women

Accessibility to safe, sufficient drinking water affects households in many ways, from health and hygiene practices to economic opportunities. The Women + Water Collaborative is working to improve the availability and quality of water in priority river basins through water replenishment and conservation methods such as rainwater harvesting. It is also working to provide communities with safe drinking water and climate-resilient sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and services.

Although women in rural India play a crucial role in water collection and use, their participation in decision-making around water resources remains low. This program leverages women’s leadership to build water resilience, improve water security, and enable equitable access to water and sanitation for communities at scale.