1001fontaines celebrates 20 years
of innovation and impact for access to drinking water

20 years ago, in September 2004, the founders of 1001fontaines had a visionary idea to accelerate progress in access to drinking water in developing countries: to focus on the 1.5 litres of water required per person per day for drinking, and to design sustainable solutions by offering high-quality services at an affordable price.

This is how the innovative “Water Kiosks” model came about. Set up in the context of rural Cambodia in the 2000s, these decentralised water treatment units have made it possible to produce drinking water in villages at a lower cost, by building local management capacity. This model has spread throughout the country, and now covers more than a third of Cambodia’s rural areas, enabling more than a million people to drink safe drinking water.

With these unique results in the sector, 1001fontaines has over the years become a community of innovative projects, all serving our shared vision of a world where everyone can drink clean water and live healthier lives.

On 25 September 2024, 1001fontaines will celebrate 20 years of existence with a morning of celebrations, with all our teams live in Cambodia, Madagascar, Vietnam and Bangladesh, and all our supporters. Symbolising how far we’ve come, from the dream of our founders to the present day, this event will be an opportunity to look back over our history, present our current initiatives and share our ambitions for the future.