Swakop’s Project Shine kicks off

SWAKOPMUND’S annual ‘Project Shine’ was launched at the town on World Environment Day on Friday.

‘The fact that we are launching Project Shine for the third time since 2007 is an indication that our interest in preserving our environment has not dwindled and that we are still steadfast in our strive to preserve our beautiful and striking country,’ said Swakopmund Mayor Germina Shitaleni at the launch.Shitaleni, who recently returned from an official visit to Sweden, part of a twinning relationship with the city of Malmo, said despite all the ‘riches and splendour’ of Sweden, ‘no place can compare with the unscathed beauty of Namibia’.Project Shine was first launched in 2007 with the collection of roadside litter along the main road between Swakopmund to Arandis. It was the broken glass on the roadside reflecting the sun that gave the project its name. In 2008 the project involved the cleaning of the beaches between Sandwich Harbour and Henties Bay.This year, cleaners will tackle the desert between the Rössing Mountain and the Swakopmund landfill site, the Swakop River, Swakopmund’s beaches and the road reserve between Swakopmund and Arandis.As a reward for assisting with the clean-up, schools and non-profit organisations will receive a monthly donation of N$1 000, while the top three performers will receive additional monthly awards.The project runs for six months until November 30.The organisations participating in this year’s event are the DRC Cultural Youth Group, Die Voortrekkers, Namib Primary School, Namib High School, Swakopmund Special and Paralympics Club, United Democratic Front (UDF), Swakopmund Youth Forum, Back to Christ, Blue Boys Soccer Club, Swapo Party Women’s Council, Great Harvest Ministry and SIS Returning to Gen Youth Ministry.Namibia Breweries and Rio Tinto Rössing Uranium each sponsored N$30 750 for the event, together with other sponsors like Murray & Roberts and Bannerman Mining Resources, (each sponsoring N$10 000) and Café Anton (N$2 000). The municipality gave N$20 000.