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.

The article emphasises that before children can learn, play, or thrive, they need access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).

Explore World Vision’s latest policy brief on families returning to Ukraine and Syria. Discover the complex trade-offs between safety, reunification, and child wellbeing.

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

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

Last year, our programmes impacted more than 5.8 million people, including 3.2 million vulnerable children and families across East Asia.

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 MEER's latest policy brief sends a clear message: returning home does not automatically mean children are safe, supported or able to thrive.

For years, Habiba’s family has relied on unsafe, contaminated water. A broken borehole now forces hundreds of households to depend on a seasonal water pan.

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.