By Benjamin Njoku

Rector Cares Foundation has launched the second edition of its annual Water Essay Competition, inviting SS1 and SS2 students from secondary schools across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo States to submit essays on the theme “Water-Related Diseases: Prevention Strategies Through Community Education.”

The competition builds on the success of the inaugural 2024 edition, themed “Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH),” which drew over 100 submissions from students in both public and private secondary schools in Lagos State.

According to the Foundation, this year’s edition expands its reach across the entire South-West region, reinforcing its commitment to engaging young Nigerians in critical conversations about the country’s persistent water challenges. The competition gives students a platform to explore the link between water-borne diseases and community education, and to propose practical, locally relevant prevention strategies.

Speaking on the initiative, Onyedikachi Erete, founder of Rector Cares Foundation, said the theme was chosen to encourage original, evidence-based thinking and to push participants beyond surface-level analysis. For the first time, this year’s edition introduces a three-tier prize structure. The top three finalists will share a combined prize pool valued at ₦1,000,000, which includes laptops, internship opportunities, and additional incentives.

“The response we received in 2024 showed us how critical it is to engage youths in the water crisis,” Erete said. “This second edition is our commitment to reaching more of them, this time across all six South-West states. We are creating a genuine space for their ideas to be heard, and we believe the students who compete today are the aware leaders Nigeria needs tomorrow.”

Rector Cares Foundation is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to improving access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene across Nigeria. Through its water projects and educational programmes, the Foundation has partnered with communities and schools in multiple states to drive sustainable solutions for water security and public health.