What We Do & Where We Do It

We are close to people and their realities, working on all levels of intervention to realise SDG 6 and enable liveable communities for all—through safely managed decentralised sanitation, integrated planning, and participative processes.

BORDA e.V. (Bremen Overseas Research & Development Association) is an expert NGO specialising in full-cycle decentralised sanitation. For over 40 years, our award-winning solutions have empowered people and set new standards in 20+ countries around the world. We aim to play a leading role in international efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Sanitation is about more than sewage—it’s also about livelihoods and sustainable (re)use of natural resources.

Together with governments, local enterprises and partner organisations, we work on site to improve communal planning processes, sanitation supply structures and basic needs services. We tackle unsolved problems and bring tried-and-tested solutions to challenging places.

Through earned trust and strong partnerships, our locally tailored solutions bring together sustainable technology, holistic planning, participative processes, appropriate social measures, and supportive long-term policies.

BORDA’s multi-level, multi-stakeholder approach creates a feedback loop between local, regional and national stakeholders, enabling us to integrate innovative initiatives at the micro, meso and macro levels. This is what sets us apart—the ability to bring about the lasting structural change that is essential to realising liveable communities for all.

Solutions – realising services that work for local communities

  • Planning & implementation of functional & sustainable technologies for water, wastewater, stormwater & waste management
  • Enabling total water cycle care & resource recovery
  • Integrating ecological, health & socio-economic concerns
  • Facilitating policies & standards
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Knowledge Transfer – linking global know-how with local practice

  • Strengthening networks that connect local, regional & global actors
  • Conducting R&D and sharing the results
  • Raising global awareness
  • Building local capacity through consulting & training
  • Producing & disseminating publications
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Partnerships – multiplying expertise, reach and impact

  • Fostering public & private sector engagement
  • Collaborating with 100+ local partner organisations including NGOs, universities & research institutes
  • Facilitating international city alliances
  • Partnering through BORDA Ltd. as a social business
  • Supported by international donors & national governments
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