African youth, who make up over 60 percent of the African continent’s population, play a significant role in achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation. Their contributions range from local grassroots actions to high-tech innovations, though they also face challenges.
Recent initiatives to achieve the 6 SDGs include the African Water Investment Program (AIP), adopted by the African Union to ensure investment in water security.
In addition, the International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa was launched by African leaders to mobilize political support and international engagement for water funding.
National Action Plans and Campaigns have been successfully launched, such as in Nigeria, where the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign is underway.
Youth Initiatives powering SDG 6
Similarly, Ghana is actively pursuing SDG 6 through significant infrastructure investments, community-led programs, and policy reforms that aim to achieve universal coverage by 2030.
For example, the Kyɛnsu Community Water Share Kiosk, led by the Ghana Youth Environmental Movement (GYEM), provides clean water to over 700 informal settlers in Accra. Key initiatives include the “Water for All” policy and Community-Led Total Sanitation.
At the same time, Somalia is undertaking several key initiatives to achieve SDG 6 by 2030, with a particular focus on strengthening water management, improving infrastructure, and building climate resilience. Through the initiatives like the Somali STEM Summit, young people are also using science and technology to create solutions for climate-related hazards, including drought, which directly impacts water availability.
Infrastructure development projects such as the Kismayo-Baidoa Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project are ensuring access to clean water services. The Somalia Urban Resilience Project (SURP II) also improves water and sanitation infrastructure in cities. Similarly, the National Adaptation Plan of Somalia (2026-2030) includes measures to strengthen the capacity of the water sector to respond to climate-induced risks.
Banking on technology
In Kenya, young people are promoting awareness about the water crisis. Young people are increasingly using AI and mobile technology to address water issues, such as using predictive models for water management and developing monitoring apps to enhance resource efficiency.
In Malawi, Youth-led organizations and school student clubs are actively promoting hygiene practices, including handwashing and menstrual hygiene management. These initiatives are significant for reducing waterborne diseases in rural and urban communities. In many rural areas, young volunteers serve on community water committees the provide clean water. They help maintain boreholes and gravity-fed water systems to ensure consistent access to clean water for the villages.
Egyptian youth are actively contributing to the achievement of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) through grassroots initiatives, including the use of innovative technologies.
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Young students have led initiatives that aim to provide families with access to clean water. For example, the BLU race event involved over 120 students and contributed 1 million Egyptian pounds to the WASH initiative, successfully connecting 200 homes to clean water.
In Morocco, over 45,000 young people in Morocco are involved in the “Eco-Schools” initiatives, which focus on water conservation, sanitation management, and environmental protection.
Challenges
Still, a lot of challenges exist in achieving SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), including extreme weather events such as droughts and floods, which are one of the major barriers to launching the provision of clean water projects.
Besides this, poor policy enforcement, fragmented institutional mandates, and a lack of accountability are the causes of delays in the implementation of water projects.
Inadequate investment and limited financing mechanisms are also major challenges in the development and maintenance of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services.
The Way Forward
Achieving SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) in Africa requires massive investment, infrastructure development, and committed governance to address the fact that over 300 million people lack access to safe water.
Key strategies include innovative financing, the adoption of smart technologies, and empowering local management to ensure the achievement of SDG 6 by 2030.
