To mark the Day of the African Child, hundreds of children in Ngandu, Kinshasa, took to the streets to raise awareness about the importance of safe water, hygiene, and sanitation. Organised by World Vision DRC, the event empowered children to become advocates for healthier communities while encouraging families to adopt good hygiene practices and protect water sources. The celebration highlighted the vital role children can play in driving positive change and promoting a healthier future for all.

Calls to accelerate universal access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene for children in Africa, addressing gaps harming health, education and protection.

Day of the African Child 2026: Every Child Deserves Safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Ten-year-old Ayen walks daily to the Sobat River in Anackdiar Payam, where her family, displaced by conflict, relies on unsafe water for all basic needs. The contaminated river water especially during floods causes frequent illness, leaving Ayen often too weak to play. Her mother, Nyajuma, worries as sickness becomes routine for their children. Despite hardship, the community remains resilient but exhausted. Hope is emerging through a World Vision WASH project funded by the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which will provide safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services. For families like Ayen’s, access to clean water offers a chance for health, dignity, and a better future.

World Vision Malawi has improved access to clean water at Carmushka Primary School in Phalombe through the construction of a borehole that is benefiting 896 learners. For years, pupils depended on a single community water source which led to long queues and delayed lesson time, affecting learning and school routines. With the new borehole now within the school premises, learners are spending less time fetching water and more time in class, while hygiene conditions have significantly improved.

A high-level delegation from Lesotho concluded a week-long learning visit to Eswatini, exploring the country's universal water service coverage model and witnessing the impact of water projects in communities before attending the commissioning of the Bulekeni Potable Water Project.

A thought leadership piece on refugee children growing up in long-term displacement and why support must go beyond survival to opportunity and dignity.

World Vision, through the WALIP Project funded by the U.S. Government, is helping conflict-affected children in North Kivu, eastern DRC, rebuild their lives through Child-Friendly Spaces. In Kanyaruchinya, nearly 900 children participate in educational, recreational, and psychosocial activities each week in a safe environment that promotes healing and growth. According to Moyo Kanghezani, Chief of Party of the WALIP Project, football has become a powerful tool for helping children cope with trauma, regain confidence, and envision a brighter future. Inspired by the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and role models such as Cédric Bakambu, children like Ruphin and Kevine are pursuing their dreams while developing resilience and hope. The Child-Friendly Spaces demonstrate how investing in child protection, learning, and well-being can transform the lives of children affected by conflict.

Mayibongwe’s access to clean water is transforming his family’s future. With reliable water sources, they are now growing food, improving their health, and creating income opportunities that are building resilience and hope for a better tomorrow.

After losing her husband, Rebecca struggled to provide for her five children while living in a fragile home vulnerable to heavy rains in Karawa, North Ubangi Province. Through World Vision’s livelihoods support programme, she received resources to start a small business, enabling her to build a safer house, support her children’s education, and invest in livestock farming. Today, her children attend school regularly and pursue their dreams with renewed hope. Rebecca’s story highlights how livelihoods interventions are helping vulnerable families in Karawa build resilience, improve living conditions, and create brighter futures for their children.