The term ‘partnership’ can cover a wide range of relationships between different types of organisations.
However, genuine partnerships between the private and NGO sectors are still relatively uncommon. The
global consultancy firm Arup has developed a number of partnerships with NGOs in the water sector to bring
international expertise to help solve local problems. This paper briefly reviews the partnership context and
describes two water projects – one in Bangladesh and one in Ghana - where Arup staff have worked with
local NGOs to develop locally appropriate solutions to technical problems. The paper explores the mutual
benefits that both organisations can enjoy from this type of partnership