Under “Clean up the World” initiative, celebrated globally 19-21 September, MPDC has promoted a voluntary action of cleaning the beach of Guachene, in Katembe, on the morning of September 20. The cleaning took place from 8am to 12pm, covering an area of roughly 1 km, from the ferryboat bridge to the Restaurant Diogo.
The initiative has been developed in partnership with the Association of Residents of Beach Guachene (AMG), with the District Administration of Katembe and had the support of the Limpa Moçambique, a non-profit organization that uses social networks to promote cleanup actions and civic education.
The action was a success, with about 100 volunteers joining the initiative from the institutions MPDC, P & O Maritime, ERM, Limpa Moçambique and residents and friends of Katembe who decided to join the cause. The various institutions also donated various cleaning materials (gloves, bags, forks, rakes, etc.) to AMG that will later be used in the regular cleaning of the beach as well as signs for placement on the beach.
The action was not limited to cleaning the beach but also aimed to raise awareness among beach users and residents of the Katembe beach about the impact of trash left on the beach and / or thrown into the sea. During the action, the volunteers were accompanied by a group of children living in Katembe, between 8 and 12 years, who helped clean up the beach while they learned important lessons about waste separation and recycling.
This action was only the first initiative to draw attention to the problem of trash on the beach of Katembe, a district with major deficiencies in garbage collection. The goal is to continue to work with AMG to promote school activities and civic education among the general population.
