sWASH & grow

The sWASH & grow project aims to improve the conditions for innovators to be able to meet relief organizations’ demands. This will enable sustainable and circular innovations in the WASH sector to reach vulnerable populations in humanitarian crises and areas without access to critical utilities and services. The project will, through testbeds in cooperation with buyers and users, test innovative sustainable solutions and from this design tools for development, scaling and export.

Image of migrants' refugee camp — Image: Philippe TURPIN / Getty

Sustainable Development Goals

sWASH & grow brings major global buyers, support functions from across the innovation system, innovation companies, and research together in a partnership aligned with Agenda 2030. The project focuses on SDG 6 and 9 on clean water and sanitation and will have an impact on SDGs 2, 3, 7, 12 and 13 on zero hunger, health, energy, production, and climate.

Expected impact

sWASH & grow will contribute to improving the conditions for circular and long-term sustainable off-grid solutions to successfully reach out to markets in the most inaccessible places through an inclusive approach; while also creating the means to empower vulnerable populations to build resilience. The results of the project have effects on a number of Global Sustainability Goals by giving innovators and buyers better decision support tools for developing and implementing innovative sustainable, circular and inclusive solutions for those in need.

Project results

The project’s results will include:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool for decision support.
A university course module.
Publication outlining success factors and regulatory conditions for uptake of off-grid solutions.
Methods and platforms for validation, upscaling and export.
Further development of Swedish innovative water and sanitation solutions.

Planned implementation

The project is implemented in collaboration with experts and customers from the public, private, academic and NGO sectors. It is divided into six work packages which include investigating and mapping success factors for off-grid solutions; developing tools for testing; validation and market introduction; developing Swedish innovative water and sanitation solutions and developing methods and platforms for upscaling and exports. All results are based on case studies in test and demo beds in Sweden, Bolivia, Lebanon, South Africa and Rwanda.