About The Mvula Trust
The Mvula Trust was established in 1993, six months before the first democratic elections in South Africa. Mvula was formed initially as a three year project whose aim was to alleviate the critical situation in the early 1990s by setting up a fast and effective mechanism for funding community-driven water and sanitation projects. The Mvula Trust initial funding was provided by the Independent Development Trust, the Kagiso Trust (EU finance) and the loans from the Development Bank of South Africa.
During the democratic transition period the Mvula Trust was able to play a critical advocacy and policy development role in support of the new government. Soon after the new government had establisheed the Community Water Supply Sanitation Programme, an agreement was signed in 1995 between The Mvula Trust and the Department of Water and Forestry (DWAF) to formalise the relationship between them. Eighteen years later this remains a unique agreement in terms of content and an scope, between the government and an NGO in South Africa. The Mvula Trust continues to grow each year. Mvula’s main strength lie in the skills and experience it has developed as both an implementing and policy organisation.
Mvula has also gained experience working in partnerships with national and local government, as well as the private sector (for example, in BoTT and in the three Business Partners for Development focus projects in South Africa).
For 18 years we have built the reputation for achieving quality results with real impact, through tried and tested methodologies and through continually identifying and implementing best practice techniques. Our full range of expertise allow us to address all challenges related to water services whether it is implementing new projects, providing support to water services authorities, establishing water services provider capacity, developing water services policy, to working with communities.