It had been nine months since the last Malindi Clean Up.
Nine months that seem to be a geological era so much that we have been overwhelmed globally by something unexpected that has also blocked our social activities to protect Malindi, its environment and its community.
The pandemic attempted to crumble the slow building of awareness through the monthly exercise that had already been going on for a year. Awareness of having formed a heterogeneous and cohesive group of citizens with one goal: to improve their citizens and give a future to those who understand that waste collection, separation and recycling can be an incredible resource for Kenya and Africa, while improving the environment and therefore the health of all, not to mention tourism and other sectors.
Yesterday those we call "responsible residents" took to the streets again and found the support of the institutions, with even a strengthened relationship with the national government, through the county commissioners, local police, NEMA and KWS. Just as the Public Health Office in Malindi and the Kilifi County Environment Department have not shirked their task of prevention and education at this particular time.
The very important and significant collaboration has been with the young unemployed people employed by the Government in the "Kazi Mtaani" programme who have been receiving a salary as social workers for routine maintenance of towns and villages since last June. In the area of Malindi alone there are 1500 and a representation participated in Cleanup and was erudite on how the collection and subsequent recycling of waste can become a profession in the future in order to improve their living conditions.
Together with many workers' associations who have understood the importance of intelligent collection (from beach operators to women's cooperatives, from those who produce objects and accessories by recycling everything from organic waste to plastic and metal with a particular mention for MYRERC of Kisumundogo), the Malindi Green And Blue movement, which is part of the Progress Welfare Association Malindi, organized the monthly cleaning from Silversand (Coral Key area, very dirty and neglected), passing through the new waterfront project and ending at the Malindi Museum. For the record, more than five quintals of rubbish were collected from less than 200 people (maximum allowed under Covid-19 rules) in just over an hour. 152 kg of plastic, 402 kg of organic waste, 22 kg of glass and 15 kg of metal.