Water projects of faith-based organizations in Africa: the need and localization

The article examines the faith-based organisationsʼ (FBOs) projects aimed at addressing the shortage of clean drinking water in Africa in the context of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The author focuses on the role of religion in achieving relevant SDGs and the geographical alignment of these projects with the countries most affected by water scarcity. The study draws on a wide range of sources, including (a) statistical data that allows an assessment of the severity of water shortages in Africa, (b) regulatory documents governing water strategies in African states, (c) news and reports from major FBOs involved in water projects, (d) field-study materials collected in Ethiopia in 2024. It has been established that water scarcity is a major problem in 21 African countries: Somalia, Sudan, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Mauritania, Tanzania, Madagascar, Niger, Mozambique, Angola, Chad, DRC, South Sudan, Togo, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Nigeria and the Republic of the Congo. The analysis of regulatory documents of these countries revealed an active involvement of international and FBOs in developing and implementing national water strategies. The major FBOs that lead the largest water projects in Africa include World Vision, Catholic Relief Services, Caritas Internationalis, and the Islamic Development Bank. The advantage of FBOs can be due to the high mobilisation potential provided by the moral authority of spiritual leaders and their wide presence in African countries. The comparative geographical analysis revealed the spatial discrepancy between the countries with the greatest water scarcity and the beneficiaries of FBOs projects. The largest initiatives in this field are implemented by FBOs in Ethiopia, DRC, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, in several other countries where water scarcity is a more pressing issue, water projects tend to be significantly smaller in scale. This disparity is explained by both the inherent difficulties of operating in some of the water-scarcest countries, such as bureaucratic obstacles, security concerns, and the priorities of funding donors, predominantly Western states, transnational corporations, and international institutions.