EcoSanity Tanzania outline activities to celebrate World Cleanup Day

DAR ES SALAAM: As the countdown towards World Cleanup Day on September 20 this year continues, EcoSanity Tanzania has exposed series of activities to brighten the day.

Under the theme “From Clean Plates to Clean Cities”, the global observance will showcase innovative policies, technologies and partnerships that accelerate action on food waste prevention, circular economy and sustainable urban development.

However, EcoSanity Tanzania has teamed up with Water and Sanitation, Mwanamke Green Initiative, Ubungo Municipal Council as well as Nisajile Foundation to honor the day with a special cleaning exercise to be held at Riverside in Dar es Salaam on September 19.

In his recent media briefing, EcoSanity Tanzania Executive Director Mr Kilondela Mazaba insisted that environmental cleanliness is not only a responsibility of governments or organizations, but a shared responsibility of every citizen.

“World Cleanup Day gives us an opportunity to mobilize communities, especially young people, to take practical action against littering and poor waste management while promoting a culture of environmental responsibility,” he said.

He added that this is not the first time for EcoSanity Tanzania to embrace World Cleanup Day as they have been involved in several environmental conservation and community-based activities, including clean-up and environmental awareness initiatives.

“However, World Cleanup Day 2026 is an important opportunity for us to strengthen our efforts, bring more people together, and make our contribution part of a wider global movement for a cleaner and healthier planet,” he said.

Commenting on immediate impacts they expect after the exercise, he revealed that they aim to see a cleaner Riverside area, reduced litter and improperly disposed waste, and greater awareness among community members about responsible waste management.

“More importantly, we want participants to leave with a knowledge of ownership and understand that keeping our environment clean should continue beyond World Cleanup Day,” said him.

Mr Mazaba also indicated that they have organised a practical community clean-up involving young people, community members and partners.

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“Beyond collecting waste, we will use the event as an opportunity for environmental awareness and education, community engagement, documentation of the environmental situation, and mobilization for continued conservation action…we also want the event to create a strong sense of unity and demonstrate that collective action can produce visible change.

“Our message is simple…the environment belongs to all of us, and keeping it clean is everyone’s responsibility. We encourage Tanzanians not to see World Cleanup Day as just another event, but as a reminder to change our daily behavior.

“One person may collect a few pieces of waste, but thousands of responsible citizens can transform our communities. Let us stop asking who will clean our environment and start asking what we can do today to make it clean.”

Highlighting on why they chose Riverside for the initiative, he said areas around rivers are environmentally important and directly connected to the well-being of communities.

“Waste dumped along riverbanks can eventually enter water systems and contribute to pollution, affecting ecosystems, human health and the wider environment. By taking action at Riverside, we want to demonstrate the importance of protecting our waterways and encourage the community to take greater ownership of the area,” he said.