Clean water as a key lever for sustainable development in Burkina Faso

To mark this year's World Water Day, World Vision organised a WASH Forum on 25 March 2026, bringing together institutional, technical and financial partners from the water, sanitation and hygiene sector. This meeting forms part of World Vision’s commitment to contributing to sustainable solutions that improve the health, dignity and well-being of communities, particularly the most vulnerable women and children.

The forum provided a platform for strategic dialogue around two priority areas aimed at strengthening the impact of WASH interventions:

• World Vision’s “Mapping the Blue Thread” business plan, which positions water as a cross-cutting lever for development by promoting gender equality, community resilience and child protection - illustrating that where water flows, equality progresses.
• Material quality control and assurance, an essential pillar for ensuring the reliability, safety and durability of WASH infrastructure, particularly in fragile contexts.

Forum participants acknowledged that poor-quality infrastructure exposes communities - especially children - to health risks and frequent breakdowns. Investment in reliable infrastructure, adapted to local contexts, is therefore essential to ensure that water points continue to function year after year, in service of communities. Discussions also made it possible to share good practices and explore synergies for action in order to improve the effectiveness of responses to community needs.

In Burkina Faso, the commitment of World Vision and its partners has translated into tangible results on the ground since 2021:

• More than 60,000 people, including many children, now have access to safe drinking water;
• Over 80 functional water points, including 10+ solar-powered drinking water systems, ensuring more reliable and environmentally friendly services;
• More than 53,000 people now use improved latrines, contributing to a healthier environment for children;
• More than 160,000 people have benefited from hygiene services, reducing the risks of preventable diseases and contributing to improved public health.

The WASH Forum was an opportunity to reaffirm that beyond infrastructure, these efforts represent lives changed, families reassured, and, above all, more resilient communities. World Vision extends its sincere thanks to all its institutional, technical and financial partners for their mobilisation and continued commitment to sustainable access to water.

Together, we continue to work to ensure that access to safe drinking water and quality WASH services becomes a lasting and equitable reality for all in Burkina Faso.