Youth-Led Campaign YWAC Targets Healthier Learning Environments Across Zambia

By Alain Kabinda

Every morning, millions of children walk through school gates carrying dreams of a better future. But behind every lesson learned, every examination passed, and every ambition pursued lies a basic question: Are learners healthy enough to reach their full potential?

This July, as Zambia observes School Health and Nutrition Month, The Youth WASH Ambassador Club is a youth-led organization committed to promoting clean water access, sanitation, hygiene, and nutrition awareness in schools and communities. Through advocacy, education, and youth engagement, YWAC works to create healthier environments where children can learn and achieve their full potential.

The Youth WASH Ambassador Club (YWAC) and WASH Consultant Ms. Nkosha Kachusha is placing this question at the centre of national conversation through a digital campaign aimed at transforming schools into healthier, safer, and more supportive environments for every learner.

                                                                  (Ms. Nkosha Kachusha)

With the message “Healthy learners thrive in healthy schools,” Ms. Kachusha is championing the idea that education cannot be separated from health. Speaking to Daily News in an interview Ms. Kachusha said that the organization believes that access to clean water, proper sanitation, good hygiene practices, and nutritious food are not just basic needs—they are essential tools for improving learning outcomes and keeping children in school.

For many learners, a school is not only a place to read and write. It is also where they spend most of their day, interact with others, and develop habits that shape their future.

However, challenges such as limited access to safe water, inadequate sanitation facilities, poor hygiene practices, and lack of nutritious meals can affect a child’s ability to participate fully in education.

Ms. Kachusha said healthy learning environments create conditions where children can concentrate better, attend classes regularly, and develop confidence.

“Together, let’s build schools where every learner is healthy, nourished, and ready to learn,” the Ms. Kachusha said.

At the heart of the campaign is the promotion of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) as a foundation for learner well-being.

Ms. Kachusha also advocating for schools to have reliable access to clean and safe drinking water, functional toilets, and improved sanitation systems. The organization is also promoting handwashing with soap as one of the simplest but most effective ways of preventing the spread of diseases.

“For learners, especially young girls, access to appropriate sanitation facilities is closely linked to dignity, confidence, and continued participation in education,” Ms. Kachusha said.

The campaign highlights menstrual health and hygiene as a critical issue requiring attention, calling for schools and communities to provide supportive environments where girls can manage menstruation safely without missing lessons or feeling excluded.

Alongside WASH, YWAC is highlighting nutrition as a key driver of educational success.

The organization is encouraging investment in nutritious school meals and stronger food safety practices to ensure that learners receive the nourishment they need to grow, focus, and participate actively in school activities.

A hungry child struggles to concentrate. A well-nourished learner has the energy to engage, explore, and succeed.

YWAC believes that school feeding programmes and nutrition education can play an important role in improving attendance, reducing vulnerability, and supporting better academic performance.

Through its digital campaign, YWAC is demonstrating the power of youth leadership in addressing national health and education challenges.

Throughout July, the organization will share educational content, advocacy tools, and awareness messages across digital platforms to encourage dialogue among learners, teachers, parents, policymakers, and communities.

The campaign reflects a growing recognition that young people are not only beneficiaries of health programmes but also important partners in creating solutions.

By using technology and social platforms, the Youth WASH Ambassador Club is amplifying the voices of young people who want schools to become places where health and education work together.

The vision promoted by YWAC is simple but powerful: every child should have the opportunity to learn in an environment that protects their health, respects their dignity, and supports their dreams.

As School Health Initiative programmes and Nutrition Month continues, the organization is calling for stronger partnerships among government institutions, educators, parents, communities, and young people to ensure that no learner is left behind because of preventable health challenges.