Community gets going to clean up

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue provided the splash with their fire hose demonstration, on International Coastal Clean-up Day at the KwaNonqaba Community Hall on Saturday, 21 September.

Two hundred community members rallied to the cause, initiated by the Oceans Research Foundation’s Sea the Change youth marine education and environmental programme.

Mama Mavis of the Community Works Programme (CWP) addressed locals and her colleagues in KwaNonqaba, Ward 1, with an inspiring account of why she loves her job and uses it as an opportunity to engage with people and educate them on recycling.

Sophu Qoma, the Oceans Research Outreach officer, said: “We wanted to get people involved, have fun and get the community on board and excited about the sea and about collecting trash."

She added "There was an excited buzz and people literally ran out of the gates to collect rubbish.

"After an hour 100 bags of rubbish were weighed (totalling 380kg) and the first ten who collected the most rubbish, qualified to win prizes worth R8 000, kindly donated by local tourism and marine operator partners."

Sophu Qoma, the Oceans Research Outreach officer sharing information in her enthusiastic way.

The Sea the Change ambassadors played football and chatted to youngsters and Transition Football Club members, who also joined in the event.

Sophu added: “It was a fun day and everyone learnt more about the environment and the global movement to be responsible, pick up rubbish, recycle and not let plastic and waste end up in the ocean”

The prizes were handed out by Danica Barnard and Vuyolwethu Mfumbe, both multiple beauty pageant title holders.

Everybody did their bit in a clean up project in KwaNonqaba last weekend.

Crafts made from recycled items were displayed by Thulani Dumzela of CWP and Lindelwa Sithole.

The Oceans Research Foundation is a Section 21 NPO company and invites sponsors to support it. "We want the programme to grow and ideally we would like to purchase a vehicle and make a portable classroom to educate more children, starting at a young age,"said Andrea Bradfield, from the foundation.

For more information, contact Andrea (082 0778702 or andrea@ocean-research.com).

Everyone played their part.