The programme, The We Solve 4 X Cleaning My Planet campaign, was launched at the Abram Hlophe Primary School in Katlehong on May 4.
The campaign has been endorsed by Miss Earth South Africa, Catherine Constantinides.
Constantinides is a leadership programme named after he, and has been in existence since 2001.
The campaign is based on encouraging communities to donate an hour of their time to clean up the environment every Saturday. This also serves to inculcate environmental awareness among local and global communities, efforts that help to enhance the benefits of a clean and healthy environment for future generations.
A key driver for the campaign will be in social media, with the theme “We Solve 4 x Cleaning My Planet” and “We Solve 4 x Cleaning My South Africa”.
“The beauty of the campaign is that it is based on one individual donating a single hour of their time once a week,” said Ngobese, the CEO of We Solve 4 x Cleaning My planet, as he delivered his speech. He also encouraged members of the community who came in their numbers to support the initiative.
“Every Saturday, we will be dedicating an hour of our time focusing on cleaning up our community. During the week we will be educating the community on waste management,” he added.
Ngobese says the idea for the campaign was inspired by the World Clean-Up Day campaign that took place last September.
“On that day, I joined my ordinary community members, using our own brooms and rakes to clean up our environment. Then I was struck by the idea: Why limit such an event to a single yearly occasion? Why not instead launch a grassroots campaign to galvanise local communities to take action, and to encourage environmental stewardship?”
Ngobese told Kathorus MAIL they were concerned that the environment was getting degraded by the day.
“We felt we needed to come together as the comm
unity with our own solutions, rather than sit down and complain about dirty environment,” Ngobese said.
A member of the community Agnes Nyathi said she was proud of the initiative as it will teach them, and the next generation, to become good stewards of the environment, and not to pollute it.
“There is a lot that I learnt, that papers and plastics are not just a waste, but could be used to make a living while reducing chances of drain blockages in our township,” said Nyathi.
She said the smell from blocked drainage system is not pleasing and could encourage the multiplication of germs.
The initiative will run for over 20 years.
Non-executive members of the project Ennet Mokoena said he supported Ngobese’s vision.
“I am here to witness what the community can do together to improve the environment. I am sure this initiative will attract a lot of people.
“The Department of Environmental Affairs will be interested and the whole of SA will benefit from it as it will help to eradicate poverty and crime.
“Involving people in such initiative will change their mindset,” said Mokoena.
