WSUP

WSUP, the Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor, was established through the partnership of Jeremy Pelczer, former CEO of Thames Water, and Richard Sandbrook, co-founder of Friends of the Earth. Thames Water recognized the limitations of traditional water utilities in meeting the needs of the urban poor while fulfilling commercial requirements.

In 2005, seven organizations collaborated to create WSUP as a not-for-profit company registered in England & Wales. DFID, the UK's Department for International Development, played a crucial role in shaping the concept and became one of the initial funders.

WSUP focused on six core countries to identify effective ways of delivering water and sanitation services to the urban poor. Country-specific teams were established, led by a Country Programme Manager reporting to a UK-based Programme Director. This structure facilitated local implementation and enhanced connectivity with in-country institutions responsible for service delivery, fostering effective sector change.

WSUP emerged as a collaborative effort, uniting diverse stakeholders to bridge the gap in providing essential services and improving water and sanitation access for the urban poor.