Communities unite for week-long river cleanup campaign

In honor of World Cleanup Day on Sept 20 and World River Day on Sept 21, communities across Nepal participated in a week-long River Cleanup Campaign. This initiative, aimed at tackling river pollution, saw local residents, youth groups, and prominent figures come together to promote environmental awareness. Major cleanup efforts took place in areas including Lalitpur, Hetauda, Bharatpur, Ichchakamana, and Gajuri.

The campaign came at a critical time as recent floods caused by the overflowing Bagmati River on Sept 28 and 29 left behind significant debris and plastic waste along the riverbanks. The floodwaters, which also resulted in the tragic loss of over 236 lives, including 40 fatalities in Lalitpur, exposed the growing issue of plastic pollution in Nepal's rivers. Similar scenes were observed in Saptakoshi, where plastic bottles clogged the dam.

Throughout the cleanup campaign, over 1,500 kg of waste was collected. Lalitpur led the efforts with 900 kg removed by 74 volunteers, while other cities, including Hetauda, Bharatpur, and Gajuri, also contributed significantly to the campaign. The involvement of local leaders, such as Lalitpur's Deputy Mayor, Manjali Shakya Bajracharya, highlighted the importance of community participation in these efforts.

The initiative also focused on youth empowerment through the VFC (Volunteer for Change) Youth Cohort program, a project by CREASION that promotes plastic waste collection and recycling. Twelve young leaders were selected from 187 applicants to spearhead local advocacy efforts, with grants supporting their activities to create lasting environmental change.