In the world of nonprofits, mergers are surprisingly rare. Of the nearly 1.9 million nonprofits in the United States, most choose to work in isolation. But two years ago, Water for Good and Lifewater International decided to do something different. We chose to merge, not out of necessity, but out of a shared conviction that we could do more together than we ever could apart.
Today, we are seeing the fruit of that decision. By combining our resources, talents, and decades of expertise, we have created a stronger, more effective organization that is reaching more people with life-changing water access than ever before.
Following is how that strategic choice is transforming our work today.
Increased Efficiency and Stewardship
A primary driver of our merger was the desire to maximize every dollar. By streamlining our operations and integrating our teams, we have successfully reduced our overall cost of serving the same number of people by 20–25%.
Our operational expenses have seen a significant downward trend, dropping from approximately $15 million in 2023 to $11 million in 2025. By reducing over $3 million in annual overhead, we have been able to reinvest those savings directly into the field. This means your generosity now stretches further, bringing lasting change to communities with greater speed and efficiency.
Empowering Local Leadership
Stewardship isn’t just about money; it’s about putting resources where they matter most. Over the past two years, we have accelerated a shift toward a greater global presence. By reducing headquarters costs and relocating key positions to our program countries and the Addis Ababa regional office, we have moved our decision-making closer to the communities we serve.
This commitment is reflected in the increased number of jobs and promotions within our country programs. Our work is now led by those with the deepest understanding of local needs, ensuring that our solutions are culturally relevant and sustainable for the long term.
Transformation in the Central African Republic (CAR)
The merger has enabled a fundamental transformation of our programs in CAR. By building on the successful models developed in program countries like Ethiopia and Tanzania, we have integrated new digital tools and empowerment strategies into our work.
Most notably, we have introduced the Vision of a Healthy Village (VHV) program to our CAR programs. This holistic approach has been proven to dramatically reduce childhood diarrhea rates by over 90% on average, compared to 19% when only clean water is provided. We are now delivering a deeper, more reliable level of health and hope in one of the world’s most fragile contexts, all while driving down program costs.
Shared Expertise and Global Influence
The merger provided a platform for a seamless exchange of best practices. Lifewater brought a strong investment in technology, HR, and finance, while Water for Good brought historic relationships and expertise in the WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) sector.
This blend of leadership and structure has provided organizational stability and allowed us to diversify our reach. Because of this combined strength, we have attracted the attention of new funding partners and forged stronger alliances with other global organizations, amplifying our collective voice on the world stage.
Why Unity Matters
In 2024, we believed that impact should outweigh ego and that collaboration was the best growth strategy. Two years later, we are serving well over a million people annually, proving that we are truly stronger together.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Because of your support, we aren’t just providing water access; we are building a more efficient, sustainable, and local-led future for safe water, sanitation, and hygiene – and truly transformed communities.
