Yes sir, yes sir, 6 000 bags full!

OMARURU engaged in a huge clean-up exercise on Saturday, with 6 000 rubbish bags filled by 1 300 schoolchildren who volunteered to brighten up their town.

About 250 teachers, parents and residents also helped to fill the 6 000 sponsored refuse bags in four hours. They were rewarded with refreshments and T-shirts, all sponsored by local businesses.Last year, about 300 schoolchildren turned up.”We were overwhelmed by the response this year,” said Jane Church, one of the organisers.”In 2006 we filled 2 500 bags.””The litter problem, globally, boils down to lack of education from an early age, which inevitably leads to apathy,” said another organiser, Raymond Spall.”Of course ignorance cannot be entirely blamed, so education is the focal point for the Omaruru clean-up campaign.”Many other members of the community donated generously of their time and money to ensure a successful day.The Omaruru Spar supermarket is the first and only supermarket in Namibia that does not hand out free plastic shopping bags.Spar sells its plastic bags, and the proceeds go to the Clean-Up Campaign Fund.The donation from the sale of plastic bags this year was around N$24 000, which was used to buy T-shirts for the participants.This year all Omaruru schools were involved and Ubasen Primary School won a prize for collecting the most bags.The prize is a mini-makeover for the school worth N$20 000, sponsored by Neo Paints.Another sponsor from Omaruru will fix their school desks, chairs, fixtures and fittings.They were rewarded with refreshments and T-shirts, all sponsored by local businesses.Last year, about 300 schoolchildren turned up.”We were overwhelmed by the response this year,” said Jane Church, one of the organisers.”In 2006 we filled 2 500 bags.””The litter problem, globally, boils down to lack of education from an early age, which inevitably leads to apathy,” said another organiser, Raymond Spall.”Of course ignorance cannot be entirely blamed, so education is the focal point for the Omaruru clean-up campaign.”Many other members of the community donated generously of their time and money to ensure a successful day.The Omaruru Spar supermarket is the first and only supermarket in Namibia that does not hand out free plastic shopping bags.Spar sells its plastic bags, and the proceeds go to the Clean-Up Campaign Fund.The donation from the sale of plastic bags this year was around N$24 000, which was used to buy T-shirts for the participants.This year all Omaruru schools were involved and Ubasen Primary School won a prize for collecting the most bags.The prize is a mini-makeover for the school worth N$20 000, sponsored by Neo Paints.Another sponsor from Omaruru will fix their school desks, chairs, fixtures and fittings.