The Global Fight Against Litter: Zimbabwe

The Global Fight against Litter:

Harare, Zimbabwe

A church in Harare is playing a key role in keeping the local streets clean. Members of the congregation took to the streets as part of a big clean-up campaign. The Minister of Environment, Water, and Climate is a member of the church, and she has announced that her department was considering introducing mandatory community service for people who drop litter in the street or dump it illegally. Littering and the dumping of household and commercial waste is a big problem in Zimbabwe. The minister added that waste management is not just the responsibility of one organisation, and if everyone did their bit to avoid littering, local authorities would save a lot of money in clean up costs.

Health concerns caused by the dumping of rubbish

Clean up campaigns will also lead to healthier communities, because diseases like cholera can spread in dirty environments. 95 cases of cholera have been reported across the nation in the past week. The church aims to raise awareness about litter and give back to the community they live in, in the hope that other organisations and individuals will follow suit.

The big clean up

The church congregation met in a local square and they were divided into groups. Each group was allocated an area to clean up. Every person had a broom, a pair of gloves, and a rubbish bag. They removed litter and dirt from storm drains, and they moved old furniture and other rubbish from alleyways. All of the rubbish that was collected was picked up by local authority refuse vehicles.

A job well done

Local people thanked the members of the church for their efforts, and a church representative hailed the clean up as a success, stating that they would continue to help keep Harare clean and tidy. Keeping the local areas clean will make it a nice place to live and work, but it will also reduce outbreaks of diseases like cholera and typhoid.

The council speaks out

The council said that even though littering is against the law, people continue to do it. They’ve called on business owners to maintain alleyways behind their premises, and dispose of waste correctly, and urged residents not to litter and to help keep the area where they live clean and tidy.