Sustainability and Empowerment in Social Enterprise: the WaSH Context

Access to potable water and sanitation facilities is more relevant now than ever and will continue to be a critical issue in the future. Hundreds of organizations have emerged to address the WaSH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) challenge. Limited attention has been given to WaSH from an organizational perspective; in particular, the characteristics that make implementing organizations and solutions sustainable. This work examines organizational and solution sustainability in the social entrepreneurship model from an empowerment lens. By merging research from the natural sciences, international development, and organization studies, this work contributes to a more effective evaluation of WaSH initiatives and a more comprehensive understanding of the role of empowerment in organizations.