By Our Reporter
5th June every year is the World Environment Day and as one way of commemorating this day, Wildlife and Natural Resources Conservation and Rehabilitation Trust (WNRCRT) conducted a market clean up exercise at Chinsapo 2 Market in Lilongwe.
WNRCRT removed garbage in the market environment in order to ensure good hygiene and sanitation.
The organization worked together with the youths from Chinsapo Youth Network, United Religious Initiatives (URI) and the community members.
Speaking to this reporter, WNRCRT Projects Coordinator, Alexander Zenasi said they thought of joining hands with the youth and the community to support the local market authorities in ensuring a clean and health environment for business operations.
“As you may know that every June 5 is the World Environment Day, we are joining the rest of the world in celebrating the day by uniting different stakeholders in cleaning up our environment.” Zenasi said.
He further said that they chose Chinsapo after taking into consideration of hygiene and sanitation challenges facing the market.
He added that it is everybody’s responsibility to take good care of the environment without waiting for upon the government.
“Iam calling upon the people doing business here to make sure that they follow proper waste disposal measures as set by the market authorities as a way of ensuring a healthy environment for living and business operations to hygiene and sanitation related diseases such as Cholera,” Zenasi said.
He commended the youth at Chinsapo for coming up in large numbers to participate in the activity.
Commenting on the development, Chinsapo Youth Network Chairperson, Enerst Kapangama said they wanted to demonstrate to other youth and the community in general on the need to take a leading role in looking after the environment.
“As youth, we are usually in forefront in destroying the environment instead of managing and protecting it, through this initiative today we are encouraging the youth to take good responsibility in caring for the environment,” said Kapangama.
“We have shown to the business community today that we are also part of this market place and it is our collective responsibility to see that the environment is clean.”
Chinsapo 2 Market Chairperson Paipi Black thanked the WNRCRT and youth in the area for giving helping hand in cleaning up the market.
“We are very happy and grateful here to see these young people coming out in unity and large numbers to clean up our market place, I would also like to thank the WNRCRT for choosing Chinsapo market for the cleaning exercise out of many markets facing similar challenges.
“I want to encourage everyone in this market to learn from the action by the youth and start handling wastes with responsibility.” Black said.
The exercise was conducted with support from United Religious Initiatives (URI) Southern Africa and this year the World Environment Day was commemorated under the theme; ONE EARTH – Living Sustainably with Nature.