World Cleanup Day : Mauritians Mobilized to Make Paradise Clean

Mauritians across the country participated in the World Cleanup Campaign at the end of last week. Old, young and children, all dressed up with their thick shoes and gloves, cleaned their neighbourhood. Firms like Emtel and Medine also participated in this cleaning campaign. 

The initiator of ‘World Cleanup Day – Let’s Do It Foundation’ is a global civic movement with a mission to connect and empower people and organizations around the world for a clean planet. On September 15th, 2018, World Clean-up Day, it was expected that people in 150 countries should stand up against the global trash problem and clean up waste, thus making it the biggest positive civic action the world has seen.

JCI Mauritius on the move 

The Let’s Do It campaign started as an initiative of JCI Estonia back in 2008 and since then the success of the Estonian clean-up spread across the world. Now, 150 countries organise clean-ups based on the same model.

In 2016, JCI signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Let’s Do It Campaign so as to join hands for this laudable initiative. JCI is well poised with over 200,000 active citizens in over 112 countries all over the world.  

This year, to commemorate 10 years of this campaign, the challenge was to have the biggest ever civic action across the world – gather 5% of the population to engage in cleaning up their surroundings on the 15th of September 2018.

“JCI Mauritius has also taken the commitment to give its support to this campaign locally. On the World Cleanup Day, members volunteered to clean their immediate locality. However, there were two major clean-up activities organised as well. JCI Beau Bassin/Rose Hill organised an innovative and sustainable clean-up in Chebel while JCI Mauritius planned for the clean-up of the Belle Rose Spiritual Park. We partnered with Lions Club of Ebene and some 2,700 L of waste was collected in the Park,” said Ismael Essackjee, 2018 Immediate Past President of JCI Quatre Bornes.

He further adds, “We are still spreading awareness about the necessity to keep this touristic and paradise country free of illegal garbage and littering. JCI Mauritius message is that keeping our environment clean is not a fad; it has to be a lifestyle.”

Inhabitants of Chebec give a helping hand  

The inhabitants of Chebec, situated in Chebel, Beau Bassin, joined the global movement to clean up their locality, eliminate the eyesores and to eliminate a long existing dumping site. An initiative that was kick started through a collaboration and JCI Beau Bassin/Rose Hill during a site visit together with inhabitants of Chebec. 

Two specific areas were cleaned that day. The sustainable aspect of this idea and to discourage people from littering again in these areas, they decided to make use of tires which were then recycled for planting so as to turn this dumping site into a green area. Children also joined in and helped transform the area. “On World Cleanup Day, the inhabitants of Chebec transformed an eyesore into a beautiful view. Through this initiative, they wanted to show what can be accomplished when everyone decides to work hand in hand. Sometimes we should not wait for help to come towards us, but be an example and take initiatives,” says Diksha Beeharry, the project director.

Emtel joins forces with the NGO CODEPA cleaning campaign 

The telecommunications company Emtel has joined the non-governmental organization (NGO) CODEPA for its annual 'Clean up' campaign, which took place on 13th September at Ebene's cybercity. Emtel employees as well as volunteers from companies operating in the cybercity were present for this cleaning exercise, which also saw the participation of the Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity, Environment and Sustainable Development and the Municipality of Quatre Bornes. Participants also had the opportunity to learn more about Mauritius' marine ecosystem on aboard of 'Bis Lamer', an educational bus that crisscrossed Ebene during the clean-up exercise. According to the CEO Teddy Bhuller, Emtel is proud to sponsor the cleaning of Ebene. “For several years now, Emtel has been strongly committed to this noble cause which is to promote a healthier workplace for all who are in Ebene and to contribute to a sustainable development mentality across the country.”

Medine employees joins the global cause

Medine Group gathered its troops on 12th September to collect and sort garbage abandoned at some sites in the region. The Group concentrated its efforts on two particularly polluted sites, especially on the side of the A3 road at the southern entrance to Bambous and around La Valette.

More than a hundred volunteers from different areas of activity of Medine responded to the call to get involved in this common approach. A day that proved to be productive since 12 tons of waste were collected and sorted by the volunteers. The general waste was recovered by the road service of the village council of Rivière Noire, which graciously dispatched two dump trucks especially for this occasion, while the plastic bottles (PET) and the aluminum cans were sent to the Green Mission recycling bins.

Also present on the occasion of this initiative, the CEO of Medine, Thierry Sauzier, underlined that it was impossible for our Group not to join this global cause. “The world has entered a situation of ecological urgency which implies the fundamental necessity that we rethink our lifestyles and consumption. Volunteering is a value we have been cultivating for years with Medine employees and we are once again very proud to see many of them responding to the call.”