Promoting a healthy environment in Diepsloot
DIEPSLOOT- Two envorinmental groups, the Water Amenities and Sanitation Services Upgrade Programme (WASSUP) and the Bontle ke Tlhago hosted an awareness day for the community of Diepsloot on Human Rights Day.
The aim of the awareness day was to promote the constitutional rights to a protected and healthy environment.
Bontle ke Tlhago is a recycling co-operative which operates the Diepsloot Recycling Buyback Centre. They led participants in a street clean-up and pointed out all the recyclables that can be reclaimed.
WASSUP showed off the communal toilets which they recently renovated. Over the past few weeks they have assisted in upgrading toilets, taps and drains with Health Habitat and World Skills Foundation. The toilets got a colourful coat of paint from Footballer4Life, a working group of children from Muzomuhle Primary School. The pupils painted messages such as ‘love yourself’ and ‘respect your environment’ on the toilets to remind the residents of Diepsloot to keep the toilets and the environment clean.
The Greater Kyalami Conservancy (GECKO) and the Noweto Business Chamber also joined the awareness campaign by assisting in the clean-up. Diepsloot Arts and Culture Network demonstrated some of their environmental awareness projects though the arts, such as graffiti artwork across the extension one and two pedestrian bridges. They also sold ‘I love Diepsloot’ t-shirts during the awareness day.
All the organisations involved agreed that the day was a success and voiced their desire to work together as a collective in future.
Jennifer van den Bussche of WASSUP encouraged people who have an interest in environmental issues in and around Diepsloot to contact the organisation to stay informed about future events and networking opportunities.
Details: jennifer@stickysituations.org
