Ritu Banda Shankar: Youth Leadership for Water Security

Globally, young leaders are turning challenges into opportunities for change. This International Youth Day, we focus on Ritu Banda Shankar, Frank Water’s Programme Consultant, who is driving impact from rural Maharashtra to the Himalayan hills in India and Nepal and the tribal communities in Kenya.

Ritu coordinates Frank Water’s systems strengthening programmes and seeks funding that helps communities build lasting access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). She also leads our Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) systems, the backbone of our evidence-based approach. Through rigorous data collection and participatory learning, Ritu ensures that every decision we make is shaped by local voices and lived experience, working closely with our in-country partners.

“Ritu brings an exceptional ability to translate grassroots realities into global solutions,” says Jon Shepherd, Frank Water’s Head of Programmes and Funding. “She connects community priorities to the big-picture goals that drive sustainable development.”

Her work is grounded in community-driven initiatives that do more than just deliver infrastructure. By strengthening local systems, promoting inclusive development, and building climate resilience, Ritu’s leadership directly advances Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, while also touching many other SDGs, from gender equality to climate action.

Passionate about intersectionality in development and a strong advocate for environmental and social justice, Ritu ensures that Frank Water’s programmes don’t just meet immediate needs but also address the underlying inequalities that keep communities from thriving.

From empowering women to engage in water governance, to helping farmers adapt to climate change in rural India, Ritu’s work turns safe water from an aspiration into a lived reality for thousands of people.