Who we are
Young Advocates for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (YAWASH) is a youth-led African organization working on sustainable clean water access, hygiene education and community empowerment.
Become a volunteer- 2+ years
- working in communities
- 1,000+
- people reached each year
- SDG 6
- clean water and sanitation
It began with a research project
YAWASH began as a research project that turned waste aluminum cans into alum for purifying water. It has since grown into a movement of young people working alongside African communities.
Today our volunteers run handwashing workshops in schools, test water in the communities we visit, and teach young people to look after their environment.
Clean, safe water and a healthy environment are fundamental human rights.
Read our storyThe story behind every drop
Three moments that led to YAWASH.
2017
Alum purification research at UniPort From discarded cans to clean water
The idea began at the University of Port Harcourt. For his final-year bachelor research, our founder, Onyeka Francis Offor, collected discarded aluminum cans, processed them through chemical synthesis into alum, and used it to purify contaminated wastewater. What started as a thesis became a lifelong calling.
2019
The Commonwealth alliance and co-founding A shared commitment in Abuja
At a Commonwealth summit in Abuja, Onyeka met Charles Igomu, who was already leading water-related initiatives. Their visions matched, and they joined forces behind UN Sustainable Development Goal 6. Together they widened the work from chemical water treatment to boreholes, community advocacy and youth mobilization.
2024
YAWASH volunteers mobilizing communities for clean water access Formalizing the YAWASH movement
Offor and Igomu partnered with Godstime Onyema, an advocate for community hygiene who was later appointed Facilitating Coordinator on the Board of Trustees. Together they launched YAWASH, mobilizing hundreds of youth volunteers, restoring rural boreholes and starting school WASH clubs across Sub-Saharan Africa.
What guides every program we run
Each of our initiatives serves a different community, but they share one purpose: to advance SDG 6 in Sub-Saharan Africa by making safe, affordable drinking water and quality waste management available to everyone.
Whether we are rehabilitating rural boreholes, mentoring young people in school WASH clubs or promoting 5R waste solutions, our commitment is the same: to give underserved communities the clean water, dignity and opportunity they need to build a good future.
Our core values and mission
Eight commitments that shape how we design water solutions and how we work with the communities we serve.
Potable water delivery
Reliable, clean water projects in slums and rural communities across Sub-Saharan Africa.
5R waste ecology
Circular resource recovery through Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover.
Community hygiene
Grassroots awareness of clean water, proper sanitation and preventive hygiene.
Youth and teen WASH clubs
Teaching students in schools about hygiene, health and environmental responsibility.
Anti-dumping advocacy
Campaigning against indiscriminate dumping and the discharge of untreated waste into waterways.
Capacity building
Career mentorship, technical training and leadership opportunities for young people.
Inter-agency liaison
A bridge between underserved communities and water agencies and governance bodies.
SDG 6 acceleration
Working toward universal, equitable access to water and sustainable watershed protection by 2030.
The people behind the movement
Meet the leadership guiding our work on clean water, hygiene and youth empowerment across Africa.
Offor Onyeka Francis
Founder
LinkedInIgomu Charles Ojodale
Co-Founder
LinkedIn
Onyenma Godstime Onyebuchi
Facilitating Coordinator
LinkedIn
Join us in the field
We welcome students, professionals and community advocates ready to lead water and sanitation work across Africa.