Co-ordinated by the Peterhouse Group of Schools, who are striving to become leaders in sustainable Green Schools, the exercise included 11 other schools: Ruzawi, Lendy Park, Chitepo, Rakodzi, Cherutombo, Nagle House, Nyameni Secondary, Tapfuma Primary, Nyameni Primary, DomboTombo Primary and St Francis Primary. Some 1500 children participated and 6000 black bags of litter were collected.
Each school began the clean up at their school gate and worked their way towards the Marondera Green. Peterhouse and Peterhouse Girls managed to clear the sides of the roads all the way to just outside the Golf Course (10kms), while Springvale House children cleared the area inside the Golf Course across from the main bus stop. Peterhouse buses dropped and collected pupils along the Harare/Mutare Road. Safety vehicles carrying First Aiders, water and supplies accompanied each group.
The Marondera Municipality, who had been supportive from the start, ensured that rubbish trucks were available to collect all the rubbish and take it to the dump site.
Local companies also contributed. Plaspak gave 3500 rubbish bags, Ram Petroleum 1500 pairs of gloves, Proton Bakers 600 freshly baked buns, Ultimate Warehouse disinfectant hand wipes and reflective safety vests, Environment Africa 1500 rubbish bags, 1500 gloves and 500 trees for planting. This would not have been possible without donations from the Retail Association of Zimbabwe.
Peterhouse Boys and Girls and Springvale Junior School also undertook a tree planting campaign. More than 719 indigenous trees were planted over a two day period by the pupils and staff. Around 25 indigenous species including different Acacias suitable for browsers, Erythrinas, Dovyalis and figs to attract birds were planted next to Gosha Park, a 340 ha conservation area which was established in 1984 through the efforts of Peter Ginn, a well known bird photographer.
The park is used regularly by neighbouring schools for educational and recreational purposes. In addition to providing supplies for the Clean Up, Environment Africa donated 500 trees for the green campaign. The Conservation Clubs collected indigenous seeds and will continue with this throughout the year as seeds mature so that an indigenous tree nursery can be established. The Conservation clubs will also be involved in caring for the trees in their first couple of years which will include weeding, watering and staking.
Environment Africa has an ongoing project ‘For Every Child a Tree’ and this campaign is a fitting example of how this can be a reality. Become a Green School and be part of a sustainable Zimbabwe for today, tomorrow and the future.
Post published in: Environment