For years, the residents of Mundanya Village in Manyinga District faced a harsh reality—children and families risking their lives fetching unsafe water from the crocodile-infested Kabompo River. Safe drinking water was a distant dream, and poor sanitation hindered their health and well-being.

Over 380 children in Mabalane, Mozambique, now have access to safe toilets and clean water at school, thanks to a WASH project by World Vision.

This article is a powerful story highlighting how a modest intervention, a personal plastic cup, greatly improved hygiene, hydration, and learning conditions in four schools in the Lualaba province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It recounts the longstanding lack of potable water at Amani Primary School in Mutshatsha and the transformative impact of a borehole installed in 2022, which gave over 1,600 students access to clean water. However, without drinking containers, students were still unable to hydrate safely and effectively. In early 2025, a donation of 3,625 plastic cups across four schools allowed students to drink water hygienically and comfortably. This simple addition significantly reduced water waste, improved hygiene, and helped students stay focused in class. The initiative, part of World Vision’s Gifts-In-Kind (GIK) program, illustrates the profound impact of addressing overlooked details in development work.

Welcome to Our 2024 Annual Report In 2024, World Vision Rwanda continued its commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable children and their communities. Through impactful interventions in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), Resilience and Livelihoods, Child Protection, and Education, we reached thousands across the country with life-changing support. Education remained at the heart of our efforts, with more than 939,700 children benefiting from our Unlock Literacy and Learning Roots programs,gaining essential reading skills and school readiness to thrive in their learning journey. Beyond education, we expanded our reach,bringing clean water to communities, empowering families through financial inclusion, and strengthening resilience and livelihoods. None of these achievements would be possible without the invaluable partnerships we share with the Government of Rwanda, donors, faith leaders, and the communities we serve. Explore the full report to dive deeper into the stories, data, and impact behind these milestones.

Life in Kapililonga community was once a cycle of hardship, especially for families like Mercy Nachande’s. At 31 years old, Mercy recalls how difficult it was to meet basic needs.

Menstrual hygiene remains a significant challenge for many girls and young women in Zambia and across many parts of the world. Limited access to affordable, hygienic menstrual products often leads to feelings of embarrassment, stigma, and even school absenteeism during periods. In some communities, cultural taboos and misinformation further compound the problem, making it difficult for girls to manage their menstruation with dignity and confidence. As a result, many girls miss out on crucial days of learning, affecting their education and overall well-being.

The Baseline Report for the BMZ Grow ENRICH Project analyses maternal and child health in East Africa, highlighting key findings and recommendations for improvement.

This report covers the fourth year of our Global WASH Business Plan (fiscal years 2021-2025).

Watch Djawahir’s Story: Learn how World Vision’s WASH efforts are rewriting stories of struggle into tales of triumph in CAR.