Yes, we can clean up

Excitement was written all over their eager faces. Volunteers for the self-help programme groups (SHG) from Vukani, Etembeni, Siyazama, Joza multipurpose community centre, Xolani, Luzuko Pre-School and Emgokolweni were cleaning up the streets in their respective areas last week.

The SHG is an informal group, mostly made up of women, with the common objective of working together towards the upliftment of the community. Through the Centre For Social Development they came up with the idea to start cleaning up the neigbourhood.

Initially the clean up campaign was meant to happen during August as a way of commemorating Women’s Month, but due to unforeseen circumstances it was moved to this month.

"We are very excited about being part of cleaning up our streets," said Nomthunzi Sideba, a Xolani SHG member.

Within each group, a member of the Masihlule project helped them sort the rubbish from the recyclables after it was collected.

After all the rubbish is collected it will be sorted and sent to the dumpsite where the process of recycling will begin.

Makana Municipality helped out by donating black bags to the cause. "We are encouraged by this initiative and we would like people to know that waste is recyclable," said the municipal Environmental manager, Ndumiso Nongwe who also mentioned that 2010 is just around the corner and Grahamstown needs to look good and stay clean.

"We are not expecting anything other than the cleanliness of our streets" said Lizeka Qowani, a community facilitator who lives in Fingo village.

Nomonde Devani who is a Xolani community facilitator, hopes that this campaign will continue as long as the township exists.

"I would like to rope these people in as a nucleus and assist them because Grahamstown has to be clean!" he said.