The Nedbank Kusini Accelerator Programme is showing how practical enterprise development can help turn an essential service into a source of local economic opportunity.

As access to safe, affordable drinking water remains a daily challenge, Nedbank continues to support the development of young entrepreneurs who operate solar-powered water kiosks in underserved communities through its partnership with the Kusini Foundation.

More than 11-million South Africans lack reliable access to safe drinking water, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities, and the programme equips local entrepreneurs with the business training, mentorship and growth support they need to provide reliable water services in their own communities.

The programme's water champions are trained to run solar-powered water kiosks and are supported to build businesses that can serve their communities consistently, create jobs, support community health, stimulate local economies and grow over time, as they help improve access to clean drinking water.

“The programme reflects the bank's commitment to developing innovative funding solutions that drive systemic change. The progression of the Nedbank Kusini Accelerator Programme from grant funding to concessionary funding demonstrates our belief that social impact and economic sustainability must go hand in hand,” said Nedbank group corporate and social investment executive head Poovi Pillay.

“We are not only helping entrepreneurs to launch businesses, but we are also creating pathways for them to build commercially viable enterprises that can scale their impact and contribute meaningfully to South Africa's green economy in the long term.”

A key part of the programme's value lies in how it connects community-level water access with a more sustainable model for enterprise growth, an approach that is central to Nedbank's Green Economy Social Impact Strategy, which has evolved beyond one-off grant funding towards concessionary funding models that help green enterprises prove their ability to scale and become commercially investable.

For the Kusini Accelerator Programme, this gives participating water champions a clearer route from early-stage support to future growth funding.

Nedbank has funded the creation of 100 kiosk owners/water champions and created 184 jobs in partnership with Kusini.

The programme's three-phase approach combines enterprise development, accelerator support and access to commercial finance.

The top-performing water champions progress to accelerator funding and ultimately become eligible for concessionary finance to scale their operations.

Nedbank's Green Economy Social Impact Strategy, launched in 2021, supports enterprise development in water and sanitation, renewable energy, regenerative agriculture and waste and recycling.

“Over the past four years it has generated more than R300-million in social value, supported over 1 300 enterprises, created more than 2 300 jobs and invested over R140-million in green economy projects,” noted Pillay.

The strategy prioritises youth, women and people with disabilities, ensuring that economic opportunities are extended to those who have historically been excluded from mainstream economic participation.

“Nedbank was the first financial institution to align its social impact strategy directly to the green economy. Concessionary funding enables us to provide entrepreneurs with the support they need to prove viability, attract further investment and create resilient ecosystems that benefit entire communities.”

Building on the success already achieved, the Nedbank Kusini water champions programme is now aiming to train and support more than 30 more entrepreneurs, accelerate ten high-performing enterprises through growth funding and establish a dedicated concessionary loan fund to support future expansion.

To achieve these ambitious targets, Nedbank and Kusini encourage entrepreneurs who are passionate about clean water access, community development and green enterprise to apply for the programme.

“At Nedbank, we believe that financial expertise can and should be used to do good for individuals, families, businesses and society. Through partnerships like this one with Kusini, we are delivering on that purpose by leveraging innovative finance to unlock opportunity, empower communities and help build a more inclusive and sustainable future,” Pillay concluded.