After twenty years of working on Dutch water systems and over a decade of collaboration in Ethiopia, Maarten Wensing is now stepping up to the regional level. As World Waternet’s new Partnership Director for East Africa, he now steers collaborations across Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, regions where water challenges meet bold opportunities for impact. “I’ve been working for the Waternet organisation for a long time already, 20 years,” Maarten shares. “I started as a geohydrologist. Then I moved to water safety and water allocation planning.”
That sense of flow, from groundwater to governance, has been a steady current in his career.
“In the Netherlands we have polders,” Maarten explains, “and every ten years they have to adjust water levels. It’s not just technical, it involves farmers, urban developers and climate adaptation. You can’t change one thing without changing everything. That complexity and those stakeholder dynamics, I love that.”
Building bridges between people, not just systems
From mapping groundwater for Amsterdam’s drinking water supply to implementing climate-proof strategies for low-lying land, Maarten’s work has always spanned both the literal and figurative depths. Over time, his focus shifted. “I used to be more of an engineer, but I moved more towards project management. I like connecting all the different interests of different stakeholders and seeing where you can find common ground.”
His role as asset manager for Amsterdam’s wastewater treatment plants reflects this transition. “Together with a colleague, we led the programme to implement asset management. That was quite nice actually.”
Starting with people, not plans
When Maarten first set foot in Ethiopia, he quickly realised that building strong partnerships starts with genuine human connection. “I thought, let’s not jump straight into basin planning. First, we need to get to know each other.” Instead of diving into technical discussions, he opened the floor with a few personal questions, about family, interests and daily life. It was unexpected, but effective. “At first, it felt a bit unfamiliar to them, but it turned out to be a great way to break the ice and set the tone for open collaboration.”.
This people-first mindset continues to shape his approach. “Ethiopians really value getting to know you, especially when trust is built informally. That’s where the real partnerships begin.”
From projects to lasting partnerships
As Partnership Director, Maarten is focused on supporting Water Operators' Partnerships (WOPs) to move beyond short-term results toward lasting institutional impact. “One project can absolutely make a difference, but real sustainability happens when institutions grow stronger over time,” he explains. “That requires working at different levels, including ministries, river basin organisations and local teams, so that systems, knowledge and ownership stay in place.” Maintaining that momentum is essential, especially in between visits. “We have set up ways to stay in touch, such as messaging groups and troubleshooting with photos from the field,” Maarten says. “This kind of ongoing exchange helps ensure challenges are solved quickly and local teams feel connected and supported. It is about keeping the knowledge flowing and building something that lasts.”
Water is everything
So why water? Why East Africa? For Maarten, the answer is both practical and deeply personal. “Water is everything. It’s life, it’s nature. It’s the base of everything. Taking care of water is taking care of the planet.” With the new BRIGHT project in Ethiopia, he sees a breakthrough moment. “The big gap is really what we know, how much water there is what the quality’s like and where it actually flows ? With BRIGHT, we’re introducing monitoring systems to really understand this, and from there we can start making sustainable plans for the future. That excites me, creating more impact, connecting more projects and build more partnerships.”
