Why You Should Join The Malindi Town Clean-Up Day Initiative

Malindi Town Clean-Up Day is a monthly community initiative that was initially coordinated last month in April by Malindi Stakeholders in collaboration with Municipality of Malindi, Kilifi County, to save both the Blue and Green Economy of Malindi and ensure Malindi retains its old status.

“In 2001, Malindi was declared the cleanest town. In 2003, we were runners-up. In 2004, it was nominated to represent Kenya at the UN – Habitat World Urban Forum in Barcelona Spain. In 2004, it received a gold award from Total Oil Kenya Eco Challenge.” Mrs. Kate Mwikali, chairperson of Kenya Association of Women in Tourism (KAWT).

Our Town Our Responsibility Motto is to change the attitude and mindset of people in Malindi so as to make each of us accountable for maintaining our town’s ecosystem as a community.

Residents of Malindi (Malindians), KWS Malindi, Rotaract Club of Malindi, Rotary Club of Malindi, County Commissioner of Kilifi County, Italian Community, Kenya Redcross – Kilifi Branch, Kenya Association of Women in Tourism (KAWT), Business Owners & all other Stakeholders showed their civic pride yesterday by teaming up with the Municipality of Malindi, and County Government of Kilifi, to clean up Malindi Town so as to spruce up its beauty.

We all gathered for the second edition of Malindi Town Clean-Up Day yesterday at 8:00 a.m. during our fasting month of Ramadhan as planned at Portuguese Chapel in Malindi.

 

For the clean up, trucks, hand gloves, masks, trash bags, wrecks, litter bins & water refreshments were facilitated for all volunteers. In collaboration with staff from the County Government of Kilifi and Kenya Red-Cross Kilifi Branch.

We cleaned a section of Malindi Town; from Portuguese Chapel to Uhuru Gardens; cleaning the streets & pathways along Baobab road.

There was so much team work which  made me register that chivalry is not dead. Together we can make Malindi great again. Moreover, we interacted in the process and got to meet new people of Malindi.

A little rain hicupped the event for a short while but we were all determined to finish, so we waited under different shades and continued with our trash collection exercise.

All the trash that was collected was dropped at Uhuru Garden for disposal.

Plastic waste was collected in plenty; plastic bottles and plastic straws. Other trash collected included soda bottle-tops, flipflops, newspapers, food wrappers, box cans, and cigarettes to mention a few.

A short speech from the County Comissioner, Kenya Association of Women in Tourism (KAWT) & more Stakeholders’ leaders closed the event to educate the community on the importance of taking care of our environment.

The main objectives of this initiative is to help in waste management of Malindi Town so as to maintain a healthy environment, create sustainable collaboration between stakeholders, create an identity for Malindi by positioning it as a blue & green town in order to exploit the blue economy in an economically, socially & environmentally
sustainable way. Turn trash Into cash (employment). Lastly, to check the Government’s performance.

Applauding Malindi Stakeholders for organizing this successful cleanup event thus far and all volunteers who pulled through. We hope to raise more awareness for more people to join in numbers so as to increase the manpower.

*All people of Malindi, Kilifi County, are welcome to volunteer*

This will not only encourage local businesses to clean their properties but also residents of Malindi to avoid littering and be more conscious of their environmental hygiene so as to maintain a healthy ecosystem. As a results, roads in Malindi will be taken down to zero waste,  our Green and Blue Economy will improve, job creation, and attract both local and international  tourism including all other objectives mentioned; A revolution!

Perhaps if the County Government of Kilifi took proper charge, more Malindi Youth and Local Business Owners are educated on waste management, conservation and recycling & facilitated with the right resources, Malindi’s environment status will improve and the objectives can be easily achieved as a community.

 

 

Looking forward to the 3rd edition of Malindi Town Clean-Up. Bring your friends, family, acquaintance to volunteer, and spread the word.

Our Town Our Responsibility! 

Wishing all my Muslim Brothers and Sisters Ramadhan Kareem.

Photography Credits: Peter Mkristo  Shariff Photography  Leni Frau