Rector Cares Foundation has announced the launch of 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 its inaugural 2024 edition, themed "Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)," which received submissions from over 100 students across public and private secondary schools in Lagos State. The second edition expands the competition's reach across the full South-West region, reflecting the Foundation's commitment to engaging young Nigerians in critical thinking about the country's most persistent water challenges.
The essay competition offers students a platform to explore the relationship between water-borne diseases and community education, and to propose practical, locally relevant prevention strategies. The theme was selected to encourage original, evidence-based thinking and to challenge participants to move beyond surface-level responses in their analysis.
This year's edition introduces a three-tier prize structure for the first time and top three finalists will share a combined prize pool valued at ₦1,000,000, including laptops, internship opportunities, and additional incentives.
Speaking about the competition, Onyedikachi Erete, founder of Rector Cares Foundation, said: "The response we received in 2024 showed us just how critical it is to engage the youth in the water crisis. This second edition is our commitment to reaching more of them and this time across all six South-West states. We are creating a genuine space for their ideas to be heard and believe the students who compete today are the aware leaders Nigeria needs tomorrow."
The 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 worked with communities and schools across multiple states to drive sustainable solutions for water security and community health.
The submission window for the Water Essay Competition 2.0 is opened and closes on 30 April 2026.
For more information, registration details, and essay guidelines, please visit
www.rectorscarefoundation.org or contact the Foundation at contact@rectorcaresfoundation.com