The Voss Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing access to clean water to communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and raising awareness of ongoing need in the region. The Voss Foundation aims to help fulfill communities’ water requirements and then focus on the self-improvement of lives and communities once basic water needs are satisfied. We have a particular interest in assisting women and girls who, relieved of the burden of fetching water, have time to devote to education and enterprise.

Since our inception in 2008, the Voss Foundation has helped to build 36 water access points in 5 countries, changing the lives of over 100,000 people.

Photo courtesy of Stuart Franklin/Magnum Photos

Knut Brundtland founded the Voss Foundation in 2008 after a trip to Africa where he saw firsthand the magnitude of the global water crisis.  As then-CEO of Voss of Norway ASA, producer of one of the purest bottled waters in the world, Mr. Brundtland felt he had a responsibility to provide access to clean drinking water to those in need and raise awareness of their plight.  Though Mr. Brundtland has since passed the baton at Voss, his successor remains committed to the Voss Foundation.

“Voss water is honored to be associated with the Voss Foundation and its vital work saving and changing lives in Africa. We remain devoted to the mission and are proud to continue our support of the Voss Foundation,” says Voss CEO Jack Belsito.

The Voss Foundation is grateful for the generosity of Mr. Brundtland, Mr. Belsito, and the Boards of Directors of Voss water and Voss Foundation. With the help of these visionaries and other partners, the Voss Foundation is able to dedicate ourselves to providing access to clean water to rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa.

We help meet these needs through an approach that ensures local ownership and long-term sustainability through partnerships with trusted organizations on the ground, use of appropriate technology, and through systems that assess the multiple water requirements of a community. Our primary targets are women and children, with a special focus on adolescent girls – an often overlooked and under-serviced demographic that is particularly at risk.

Voss Foundation projects primarily involve a combination of well-digging and -creation or -rehabilitation, pumping, and piping. Secondary water-related aspects are based on local requests and range from bringing clean water to schools and infirmaries, to agriculture and irrigation, to micro-finance and education based on new resources, time, or money made available by the presence and proximity of clean water. We incorporate both environmental consideration and the lasting success of the projects into villages’ requirements to create a comprehensive project that meets diverse water needs.

Founded by VOSS of Norway ASA as an independent 501(c)(3) public charity,  the Voss Foundation has offices in New York and Oslo.

Still have questions? Look at our FAQs page for more information.
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Learn about the ripple effect of clean water – it all starts with a drop!
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For more detailed information, you may download our Year in Review annual publication:

• 2010 Year in Review
• 2009 Year in Review