Message from our CEO

At Children for Health, we work from a simple but often overlooked idea: when children understand health, they do not only improve their own lives – they influence the health of families, communities, and future generations.

For over a decade, our work has focused on building children’s health literacy, leadership, and agency through participatory, child-centred approaches. We do not see children as passive recipients of information, but as active contributors to health and wellbeing within their homes and communities.

Our programmes are grounded in public health principles of prevention. Through practical tools such as our “100 Health Messages”, posters, and activity-based learning methods, children engage with health topics in ways that are relevant to their everyday lives. They understand, reflect, and act – creating small but meaningful changes that extend beyond the classroom.

What continues to stand out across different contexts is the ripple effect of this approach. When children share what they learn, it travels – into households, into behaviours, and over time, into the next generation. This is where child health literacy moves beyond individual knowledge and begins to function as a social driver of change.

As we move forward, we are strengthening our focus on evidence, partnerships, and real-world health outcomes. Our aim is not only to develop resources, but to contribute to healthier behaviours, stronger resilience, and improved wellbeing at community level.

We are also expanding our work to engage more directly with emerging public health challenges, including climate and environmental health, while remaining grounded in the communities we serve.

Children for Health operates with a lean structure and a wide network of collaborators across countries. This allows us to direct resources where they matter most—towards children, educators, and communities – while continuing to learn, adapt, and grow.

This is an ongoing journey. We remain committed to listening, to learning, and to working alongside partners who share the belief that children are not just the future of public health – they are part of its present.

Dr. Lilanga Hasini Batawalage
Chief Executive Officer
Children for Health