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“As CEO of Water4, every trip I take, I go out to communities, I spend the night and go house to house and see if the taps are working, talk to customers, see what's going on, see what life's really like. And then my job is to thank them for being a customer, not for them to thank me for being a benefactor.” - Matt Hangen
In a sector filled with beneficiaries and benefactors, one international organization is challenging outdated models and disrupting traditional power structures.
In this bonus episode from the Camp Redwood Sessions, meet Matt Hangen, the visionary CEO of Water4, a trailblazing nonprofit revolutionizing the fight against water scarcity through innovative, business-driven solutions. How? By treating access to water as a consumer service rather than a handout. As a result, Water4 is boosting health—and economic opportunities—throughout rural African communities.
Discover Matt’s journey and the bold strategies making waves across rural Africa. Get an insider look at the pivotal moments that shaped Matt’s in-the-trenches, consumer-focused mindset. Matt also shares how his early work revealed the limitations of traditional charity models and inspired Water4’s business-based approach. He explores why empathy is at the heart of his strategy and how a deep understanding of the end users' needs can drive real change. Tune in to this must-listen episode to explore new ways to drive social impact, think bigger, and make a lasting difference where it’s needed most.
Contents
1 - Early mentorship and nonprofit influences
2 - Traveling to Africa and work in water
3 - Understanding water scarcity and consumer audience
4 - Building an innovative consumer-focused model
5 - Scaling and growth opportunities
6 - Advice for nonprofit leaders
Mentioned in this episode:
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CEO
I'm President and CEO of Water4.org, a role that was "thrust upon me" by Water4's founders back in 2016, initially as organizational lead in a COO position. I started as a trainer/well driller wild man who was traveling to a dozen countries a year, living in tents there, intensely, intentionally. The knowledge I gained from 11 years of field work and life in Africa equipped me to serve a unique founder-like role inside an org with a strong set of incredible founders. I have learned a lot in the role of CEO working with, supported and coached by amazing people. From 2017 we dialed in on our strategy with the "mars shot" true north of profitable, faith driven water businesses, serving rural markets in the most economically challenging areas of Sub Saharan Africa. That meant innovating and designing new technologies, running business models, rebranding our organization (website, logo, messaging), inventing an international brand for franchises, and then learning how to message and mobilize the approach to donors and financial partners here. We've built IT and management systems to manage and monitor complex systems and processes across borders, now with 50% of our US staff out of state and the nearly complete majority of the employees supported in the areas we work. The last 3 years we went from $5.5million to $10.5million in gross revenue between funds generated in Africa and the US from our combined non-profit/for-profit approach. And the big hairy audacious goal is a noble one. We've created 650 jobs and shared the gospel with ove… Read More
