Africa-Press – Gambia. Africell staff on Saturday, January 31, carried out a large-scale street cleaning exercise along Kairaba Avenue, one of the busiest commercial corridors in the Greater Banjul Area. The activity, held under the theme “We are committed to environmental sustainability”, brought together approximately 100 participants determined to make a visible difference to their surroundings.
Equipped with rakes, brooms, bin bags, gloves and protective masks, volunteers swept through the Central Business District, collecting large quantities of waste along the roadside, in front of business premises and inside clogged gutters. The clean-up stretch ran from the Africell Head Office all the way to the Traffic Light roundabout, with a particular focus on non-biodegradable waste such as plastic bags, foam cups and aluminum packaging.
Environmental experts continue to warn that improper waste disposal contributes to blocked drainage systems, flooding, soil degradation and marine pollution. Activities such as community clean-ups not only improve public health and urban aesthetics but also play a critical role in changing attitudes towards waste management and environmental responsibility.
Speaking during the exercise, Africell’s Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Specialist, Marie Noel Mendy, emphasized the importance of embedding environmental consciousness within the workplace. “Teaching staff to take responsibility for their environment goes beyond a single clean-up activity, it helps build a culture of care, accountability and sustainability that employees carry with them into their homes and communities,” said Mendy.
Africell’s Chief Executive Officer, Hussein Diab-Ghanem, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability, noting that corporate responsibility must extend beyond business operations. “At Africell, we believe that connectivity should go hand in hand with community impact,” the CEO said. “Protecting our environment is not optional, it is essential to the wellbeing of the people we serve today and the generations that will follow. It is a shared responsibility, and we are proud to lead by example.”
The initiative was carried out in partnership with the Jama Youth Organization (JYO), a community-based group focused on creating a sustainable future through tackling waste mismanagement and promoting environmental stewardship. JYO is widely known for organizing clean-up campaigns in densely populated markets and urban centers as a way of raising awareness and encouraging civic engagement, making them a natural partner for the exercise.
The Vice President of JYO, Sarra Baldeh, praised Africell’s hands-on involvement and commitment to the initiative. “We were truly impressed by Africell’s level of dedication, from procuring all the necessary materials to mobilizing such a large number of staff members on a Saturday morning,” the representative said. “This kind of leadership sends a powerful message about corporate responsibility and community partnership.”
Alpha Dem, one of Africell’s staff members confessed that he was pleasantly surprised by the impact the activity had on him on a personal level
“I actually came to this activity halfheartedly and was not planning on taking it seriously,” he said. “But when we started the cleanup and I saw just how much rubbish there was, something inside me made me want to make a real difference. We found mostly disposable coffee cups, sweets wrappers and plastic bags, and it made me realize just how careless we really are in our daily lives.”
The clean-up campaign forms part of Africell’s broader commitment to sustainability and community development, reinforcing the idea that collective action by companies, civil society and individuals alike is key to building cleaner and healthier urban spaces.
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