Kick-off clean-up at Kamanga Fish Market, Lake Victoria

Kamanga Fish Market is located near the Mirongo River which flows into Lake Victoria. The market is vibrant and bustles with the activities of small businesses, marine transport and recreation. This was a perfect site for Clean Shores, Great Lakes to conduct it's first clean-up.  

Over 360 volunteers joined us for this clean-up, representing various groups such as fishermen, business owners, government officials, women's groups, community leaders, and members. Joining the clean-up was a special guest, Biko Kotecha, the acting mayor for Mwanza City Council who emphasized the importance of community engagement and environmental stewardship. Together, we covered an area of 1000 m in length and 50 m in width, collecting a remarkable 798 Kgs of waste

In addition to the remarkable efforts of our volunteers, we were thrilled to have the support and participation of several jogging clubs, including EFM Jogging and Isamilo Jogging. The joggers took a unique approach,  incorporating jogging into their clean-up efforts. Through their "pick and jog" initiative, they collected plastic waste along the route from CCM Kirumba to Kamanga Market, spreading awareness and educating residents and traders along the way. Their active involvement not only helped clean up the area but also served as an inspiration to others, showcasing the importance of physical activity and environmental responsibility.

During the clean-up our trained team conducted an open stock survey and organized a live demonstration of recycling and plastics re-use using a PP mold machine.

As the start of the project, the day was a great success - engaging in cleanup efforts, community involvement, and raising awareness about the importance of plastic littering and methods of waste management.