Today, 12 February, is Red Hand Day. A day of action against the use of child soldiers. Tens of thousands of children around the world are still being forced to fight – often under violence, threats and without any prospects.
What does this have to do with water projects?
More than you might think at first glance. When talking about child soldiers, we must not only talk about weapons – we must also talk about poverty, lack of prospects and basic services.
Water is protection
In many regions where child soldiers are recruited, there is a lack of everything:
- clean drinking water
- education
- food
- income for families
When water is scarce, families are in extreme need. Children have to fetch water instead of going to school. Without education, children have no chance of learning a trade or profession. Their future prospects are not good. As child soldiers, they receive some money, if they are not forced into it. This is exactly where armed groups have an easy time of it. In the war in Ukraine, Putin is using African recruits as cannon fodder on the front line.
Our work starts earlier
The projects run by Institute Water for Africa create:
- Access to clean water
- Agriculture and food security
- Local income opportunities
In concrete terms, this means:
Children stay with their families.
They go to school.
They don't have to fight to survive.
Red Hand Day also means taking responsibility
Red Hand Day reminds us that children have a right to a future – not to a gun.
Our water and irrigation projects are not a direct fight against child soldiers, but they are part of the solution.
Because peace begins where basic needs are met.
