On Saturday, 19th September 2020, earmarks as the World Cleanup Day, millions of people in over 185 countries will stand up against global waste pollution by cleaning up community neighborhoods, parks, and beaches. Thousands of communities will act together as one, creating a power “green wave” of cleanups spanning from New Zealand to Hawaii and lasting for 36 hours. World Cleanup Day is organized by Let’s Do It World (LDIW) – a global movement that supports and connects a new generation of community leaders, who are ready to act together to find lasting solution for the waste predicament in their countries.
Hosted by Household Disaster Resilience Project (HELP Gambia), Let’s Do It Gambia, public and private sector partners, CSOs and individual citizens will participate in cleansing trash scattered in public places, neighborhoods, beaches etc. The annual global civic action against trash, Let’s Do It Gambia taking part for the second time inspires thousands of volunteers across the length and breadth of the country. The volunteers are excited about participating in cleansing their immediate and biophysical environment. As we approach the exercise with overwhelming enthusiasm, the Country Leader of The Gambia, Dr. Nfamara K. Dampha says: “World Cleanup is a great and humanitarian endeavor – for our environment, our lives, of generations to come – and we’re excited to be part of the initiative. Our neighborhoods are our homes; our homes are our comfort spaces, due to COVID19, this year’s World Clean Day will be, led by Neighborhood Coordinators (NCs) with the support of volunteers mainly held in neighborhoods to achieve and maintain unpolluted and trash free communities.”
The overall goal of World cleanup Day is not only to pick up waste, but also to raise awareness on the severity of global climate crisis, drive behavior changes, and encourage Governments, Local Government Authorities, companies, organizations and communities to adopt more sustainable environmental policies and programmes.
To be part of The Gambia’s World Cleanup Day efforts, our regional networks are in all the regions and will participate in cleansing their respective neighborhoods. Join them or do your own cleansing in your own locality.
Conscious of this year’s reality, COVID19 pandemic, we strongly recommend and emphasize that, all who wish to participate in the cleanup should religiously adhere to Ministry of Health (MOH) and World Health Organization (WHO) COVID19 prevention guidelines to protect ourselves, our fellow volunteers and other people in our communities from the pandemic as we go head-on against trash.