Who we are | BORDA - Sanitation Management

We are a world wide organization

The Bremen Overseas Research & Development Association (BORDA) founded in 1977, is a German NGO operating in over 25 countries worldwide. The founding members were representatives of the public sector, the business community, civil society and academia.
BORDA´s goal is to enhance living conditions and preserve the environment by expanding climate resilient water services, promoting liveable city planning, and improving communal planning processes and sanitary supply structures across different city scales, all while emphasizing the importance of development cooperation at the municipality level. Acting as an ‘honest broker,’ we support decision-making processes at community, local, and national levels without favouring any party involved. BORDA e.V. is a civil society expert organization dedicated to sanitation, poverty alleviation, sustainable protection of natural resources, and strengthening social structures.
For over 45 years, we have been on a mission to make life better for underprivileged communities while protecting the environment. We are dedicated to expanding Basic Needs Services (BNS), such as decentralized sanitation, water and energy supply, and the disposal of wastewater and solid waste.
To achieve this, we are working closely with over 100 partners and specific target groups through their Basic Needs Network. Our regional offices in Cambodia, India, Jordan, Senegal, and Tanzania play a vital role in improving living conditions and social structures in these areas. BORDA’s interdisciplinary team and network of experts include urban planners, landscape designers, water-, process- and agricultural engineers, sociologists, economists, geographers, lawyers and specialists for public administration. This extensive partnership network and diverse expertise enables BORDA to implement and scale projects effectively while approaching challenges from multiple perspectives.
As a supportive organization for social structures and BNS under the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, BORDA has focused on cooperation projects and services in the water and sanitation sector across 25 countries in Africa and Asia. BORDA’s projects consistently focus on sustainable, decentralized service models that improve access to Basic Needs Services, concentrating on decentralized sanitation, wastewater treatment, and solid waste management to address the critical needs of the communities they serve.

2022

45 years BORDA

2019

FSM5 Conference

2018

World Urban Forum 9

2017

40 Years BORDA

IWA Development Conference
Establishment of City Sanitation Alliance
FSM4 Conference

2016

New Urban Agenda

2015

UN Agenda 2030 and SDGs

Opening of BORDA Las Américas office in Mexico City

2012 FSM1 - 1st Faecal Sludge

2012

Management Conference in Durban

2011

Opening of BORDA West & Central Asia office in Kabul (now in Amman)

IWA: Development Solutions Award Practice for BORDA

2006

Opening of BORDA Africa office in Maseru (now in Dar es Salaam)

2001

Opening of BORDA South Asia office in Bangalore

2000

Millenium Development Goals

1992

Earth Summit - Agenda 21 in Rio de Janeiro

1988

Southeast Asia - BORDA’s first regional office in Indonesia

1981

1st UN Water Decade

1979

1st international biogas workshop

1977

Our founding 7th July 1977

We are a social structure organisation in the municipal services of general interest at the BMZ

Promotion of Social Structures

Hardly known. Often used.
Social structures for social challenges.
Worldwide.

Rescue services, first aid courses, care for the elderly, kindergartens, youth centres, further education, language courses – many of us take some of these offers and services for granted and use them regularly. Behind this are often social structures, mostly supported by large associations or national aid organisations.These form a comprehensive network of diverse services in the areas of healthcare and services of general interest, welfare, disaster risk management, youth and adult education, trade unions, cooperatives and vocational training. In this way, they contribute to stability and hold our society together. Social structures have an inclusive effect and counter growing fragmentation. They are everywhere and have been around for a very long time. They have developed into an indispensable element of subsidiarity and social security in Germany that is based on people’s needs and problems. Thanks to institutional constitution and extensive expertise, they are able to react flexibly to current developments and new challenges.Social structures contribute to the sustainable stabilisation of a society and make it more resilient. They promote cooperation between state and civil society actors. (Umbrella) organisations and networks at national and regional level are strengthened.This practical experience has long been utilised in the context of development cooperation. Social structure development organisations actively contribute their specific expertise along with their global partner networks. To systematically improve the framework conditions, the following measures are taken:

Governments, ministries, and municipalities are advised, and networks and associations are supported in national advocacy and lobbying efforts,
Carrier structures and specialist networks are methodically and organisationally strengthened to ensure their sustainable existence,
Innovative approaches to local challenges are developed and scaled nationally.

Promoting social structures is a tried and tested, integral part of German development policy. The long-term development of social structures requires stable framework conditions and planning security over a longer period of time. Only in this way can they develop their full impact. Volatile funding allocations or permanent cuts to the budget jeopardise sustainability. This important instrument should therefore be strengthened and reliable prospects for the work of the specialist organisations should be guaranteed together with their local partners.Promotion of social structures enhances the reputation of German development policy not only abroad, but also at home. Its sponsors have access to the broad centre of society in Germany and can clarify its benefits and increase its acceptance.

We have been pursuing our mission for over 40 years