Bulawayo youth celebrates 2 000th day of anti-litter campaign

BULAWAYO is facing a severe problem of littering, but amidst the mess, one man stands out as an inspiration.

Mr Tonderai Shoko has been advocating for cleanliness in the city for over six years and on Saturday, he celebrated his 2 000th day of campaigning.

His work involves picking up litter, organising clean-up events and urging people to keep the city clean.

Mr Shoko believes that every individual can make a difference, no matter how small and it is his passion for the environment that has kept him going for so long.

Daily, he posts on social media platforms such as Facebook and X, among others, showing individuals picking up litter and throwing it in bins and runs a campaign dubbed “It does not take much to make a difference let’s #KeepBulawayoClean”.

Mr Shoko’s efforts have not gone unnoticed and he has received support from various organisations, including the Bulawayo City Council.

He also commended the Government for the National Clean-up Campaign, which promotes environmental responsibility across the country.

To mark the 2000th day of his campaign, Mr Shoko led a clean-up exercise at Centenary Park in Bulawayo. He planted 90 water berry trees, which provide shade and create a cooler environment, while also contributing to the fight against climate change.

The event was attended by 126 people, all eager to support Mr Shoko’s mission to keep the city clean.

“The water berry tree, known in Shona as muhute and in Ndebele as umkhutha, is an indigenous tree that grows very fast and provides a beautiful shade, so the city council chose it for that reason,” said Mr Shoko.

“Parks need to maintain that cool atmosphere and as people, we always want to accelerate progress and we chose that tree.

“The 2 000-day milestone is very significant in the sense that when we started this campaign, I didn’t think we would go this far, but after reaching 100 days I knew that we could do it.

“I cannot even explain the self-fulfilment that this initiative has brought me. I am also grateful for the immense support I have received since the start of this campaign in 2017 and I am motivated to reach another 2 000 days.”

His efforts have been extended beyond Bulawayo, as Mr Shoko has also taken his campaign to South Africa.

He hopes that more people will join him in his quest for a cleaner environment and encourages Bulawayo residents to maintain high levels of cleanliness.