Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH)

What Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH) does

NEWAH (Nepal Water for Health) is a Kathmandu-based non-governmental organization founded on July 30, 1992, that delivers integrated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services to underserved rural and municipal communities across Nepal. Over 33 years of operation, the organization has executed approximately 2,782 projects serving roughly 2.27 million people, reached 312,616 school children, and built a presence in 52 of Nepal's 77 districts. Its programmatic portfolio centers on safe drinking water supply, Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), menstrual hygiene management, the 3R approach (Recharge, Retention, Re-use) for groundwater and rainwater management, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk response and rehabilitation.

The organization's service architecture comprises four interconnected pillars: WASH Service Delivery (core infrastructure construction and rehabilitation), Capacity Building (training stakeholders to manage systems sustainably), Research and Development (knowledge generation and innovation), and Coordination and Advocacy (policy reform and sectoral governance). Its operating model is grounded in community participation across planning, construction, management, operation and maintenance, with cross-cutting commitments to poverty sensitivity, gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), transparency, accountability, and neutrality. NEWAH operates through direct field teams, municipal government partnerships (including at least ten named rural municipalities), and collaborations with international development partners.

NEWAH is structured as a non-profit entity registered under Nepal's Social Welfare Act and does not generate commercial revenue. Its funding base is composed of international donor grants — historically anchored by WaterAid from 1992 to 2018 and now diversified across Charity: water, Rotary, and Suswa — supplemented by corporate social responsibility contributions, individual donations via an online portal, and co-funding through government partnerships. It maintains a headquarters in Kathmandu plus two regional offices (Bagmati Province in Sindhuli and Gandaki Province in Baglung), employs approximately 35 staff, and reports that 88% of expenditures go to its social mission versus 12% to management and administration.

Name

Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH)

Legal name

Nepal Water for Health

Website

https://newah.org.np

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NEWAH is a Kathmandu-based non-governmental organization founded in 1992 that delivers integrated water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services to underserved rural and municipal communities across 52 of Nepal's 77 districts, funded primarily through international donor grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sindhuli

HQ country

Nepal

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. International Donor Funding: NEWAH receives significant funding from international development organizations. WaterAid was a key founding partner and funder from 1992 to 2018. The organization continues to work with various international partners.
2. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Contributions: Corporate partners contribute through CSR programs to support WASH projects
3. Individual Donations: Public donations through 'Donate for a Cause' program on the organization website
4. Government Partnerships: Collaboration with government bodies at local and national levels for WASH service delivery

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH) delivers integrated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services to underserved rural and municipal communities in Nepal, with an emphasis on community participation in planning, construction, management, operation and maintenance of water supply and sanitation systems. Beyond direct infrastructure delivery, the organization builds stakeholder capacity, conducts WASH-focused research and development, and engages in policy advocacy for sustainable and inclusive pro-poor WASH governance across 52 of Nepal's 77 districts.

Product overview

Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH) is a Nepal-based NGO offering a unified portfolio of WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) services rather than a commercial software product. The organization delivers integrated WASH services through multiple interconnected program areas: WASH Service Delivery (core service providing safe water and sanitation), Capacity Building (training stakeholders), Research and Development (innovation), and Coordination and Advocacy (policy reform). Additional specialized services include community-led total sanitation, health and nutrition, menstrual hygiene management, 3R (groundwater/rainwater management), climate change adaptation, and disaster risk rehabilitation. The organization operates exclusively in Nepal and has served approximately 2.27 million people through 2,782 projects since 1992.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WASH Service Delivery NEWAH's flagship integrated water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) service for underserved rural and municipal communities across Nepal; includes safe drinking water supply, sanitation facility construction, hygiene promotion and ongoing community management support.
• Capacity Building Training and capacity development services for individuals, community members, local governments and institutions to design, manage, operate and maintain WASH systems sustainably.
• Research and Development Applied research, knowledge management and innovation activities that strengthen the WASH sector's evidence base and inform NEWAH's programs and the wider sector.
• Coordination and Advocacy Stakeholder coordination and policy advocacy services to advance equitable and sustainable WASH access and to drive policy reforms for pro-poor WASH governance.
• Safe Drinking Water Supply Provision of safe and affordable drinking water supply systems and infrastructure to underserved rural and municipal communities in Nepal.
• Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) Community-led sanitation service that triggers collective behavior change and the elimination of open defecation in target communities through facilitation rather than subsidies.
• Menstrual Hygiene Management Targeted programs addressing the menstrual hygiene needs of women and girls, integrated with NEWAH's broader WASH and gender equality programming.
• 3R (Recharge, Retention, Re-use) Service Groundwater and rainwater recharge, retention and re-use services that build climate resilience for community water supplies and sanitation systems.
• Climate Change Adaptation in WASH WASH service design and delivery that incorporates climate resilience into planning and implementation for community water and sanitation infrastructure.
• Disaster Risk Response and Rehabilitation Emergency WASH response and rehabilitation services delivered after disasters to restore and reinforce community water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure.
• Health and Nutrition Health and nutrition programs integrated with WASH service delivery to address community health outcomes linked to water, sanitation and hygiene.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 2.27 million people through 2,782 projects over 33 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• iDE: iDE is a social enterprise that develops market-based approaches to sanitation and water access in developing countries. It is comparable as an emerging WASH player with overlapping sanitation and hygiene programs though using a more market-driven model than NEWAH's direct service delivery.

Direct peers

• charity: water: charity: water is a US-based NGO funding clean water and sanitation projects in developing countries, including Nepal. It is directly comparable as a current NEWAH financial partner operating in the same WASH vertical with similar donor-funded model.
• Water For People: Water For People is a US-based NGO working on sustainable drinking water and sanitation in developing countries. It is directly comparable as a peer WASH organization emphasizing community ownership and long-term service sustainability.
• Splash: Splash is a US-based nonprofit focused on clean water access for children in schools and orphanages in developing countries. It is directly comparable as a peer WASH NGO with school-based programming, overlapping with NEWAH's school WASH work.
• Water.org: Water.org is a global nonprofit working on water and sanitation access through market-based financing. It is directly comparable as a fellow WASH-focused NGO pursuing sustainable service delivery in developing-country geographies.
• Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP): WSUP is a global NGO focused on water and sanitation services for low-income urban communities. It is directly comparable as a peer WASH-focused organization working on service delivery for underserved populations.
• WaterAid: WaterAid is a UK-headquartered international NGO focused exclusively on water, sanitation and hygiene. It is directly comparable as both a fellow WASH-focused NGO and as NEWAH's historical founding partner and former anchor funder (1992–2018).

Regional players

• Oxfam Nepal: Oxfam Nepal is a national affiliate of Oxfam International working on WASH, livelihoods and inequality in Nepal. It is comparable as a fellow Nepal-based NGO operating in similar development verticals including water and sanitation.
• Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Fund (RWSSF) Nepal: RWSSF is a Nepal government-established fund supporting rural water supply and sanitation services. It is comparable as a regional WASH actor in the same geography with overlapping mandate for rural WASH service delivery.

Broad incumbents

• UNICEF WASH: UNICEF operates large-scale WASH programs globally and is active in Nepal. It is comparable as a broad incumbent in the same vertical with significantly greater scale and resources, representing both a potential partner and competitor to NEWAH.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nepal-water-for-health-newah

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH)