The social enterprise uses a franchise model to help locals in Eastern and Southern Africa start businesses that provide clean water to their communities.
Close to 850 million people worldwide lack access to basic water services. The capital from Jibu’s Series B round will be used to expand in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, where the company has already helped launch 200 local water businesses.
Jibu is also testing a new franchising model in Zimbabwe and Tanzania, where it uses a local partner to manage the franchising process. “We’re partnering with local developers that have local market expertise to reach scale faster,” Jibu’s Kelli Schroeder told ImpactAlpha.
Jibu’s funding round was backed by the Conrad N Hilton Foundation, Danone Communities, the Stone Family Foundation, Africa Healthcare Fund, Maclellan Foundation, Segal Family Foundation and NRD Capital.
