16/06/2026
"Access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right," reminds Pope Francis in Laudato Si' (No. 30). Defending water is therefore defending life itself.
As we commemorate the Day of the African Child 2026, AJAN and its partners renew their commitment to journey alongside young people, families, and marginalized communities across Africa. The prophet Amos calls for justice to "roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream" (Amos 5:24). That justice must flow through schools, clinics, villages, displacement camps, and every home where a child waits for the chance to live with dignity.
Investing in Africa's children by ensuring universal access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene is one of the most effective ways to build a healthier, more equitable, and hope-filled continent. The future of the African child will not be secured by words alone, but by wells that work, schools that protect, communities that care, and policies that place children's well-being and the common good first.
As we mark this important day, Fr. Ismael Matambura SJ., AJAN Director calls on us to ask ourselves:
❓ Where are our children?
❓ How and in what environment are they educated?
❓ Where do they receive health care, and how are they raised and protected?
"If justice is to roll down like waters, then every borehole repaired, every handwashing station installed, every school protected, and every child accompanied is a step towards the healthy Africa we long to see."
May every African child be known by name, protected with dignity, and given the opportunity to flourish with health and hope.
Read AJAN full Statement on the : https://ajan.africa/international-day-of-the-african-child-2026/
