Africa-Press – Liberia. Calls for a cleaner Paynesville rang louder over the weekend when residents of Zayzay Community gathered for a one-day youth environmental workshop designed to push citizens to take responsibility for their environment.
The event, hosted by Golden Waste Solutions Enterprise Inc. in partnership with Go-Getters Legacy, brought together more than 60 residents under the theme: “Fashioning a Clean City Together for a Greener Tomorrow.”
Janet S. Johnnie, Vice President of Golden Waste Solutions, said the organization founded in 2022, has since been working to promote environmental sustainability and healthier living, adding that the Zayzay community gathering was a continuation of those efforts.
But, her latest workshop was organized in line with World Cleanup Day, a United Nations–recognized event observed every September 20. The global initiative mobilizes millions across more than 190 countries to address the mounting waste crisis.
Kadiatu A. Sheriff, President of the organization told participants that the 2025 campaign, themed “Strive for Five,” seeks to bring five percent of the world’s population into coordinated cleanup actions. She explained that this year’s campaign also highlights the issue of textile waste, an often-overlooked but growing environmental challenge.
“Textile waste is not separated or tracked, buying second hand clothes form a major part of the problem,” Sheriff said. “In Monrovia alone, about 330,000 tonnes of solid waste are produced yearly, much of it ending up in open dumpsites,” she added, citing a 2023 World Bank report.
She encouraged participants to reduce overconsumption, recycle clothing, and take steps to keep their neighborhoods free of indiscriminate waste.
Organizers announced that they will return to Zayzay on World Cleanup Day for a general cleanup exercise alongside residents. Afterward, they plan to hand over materials—including shovels, wheelbarrows, rain boots, and personal protective equipment—to empower the community to sustain sanitation efforts.
The Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) was represented at the event by its Sanitation Director, Arthur D. Campbell, who delivered the keynote address. Campbell linked PCC ongoing efforts to maintain cleanliness across the city.
He said while municipal authorities are stepping up their work, communities themselves must carry the weight of responsibility.
“The cleanliness of your community rests on your shoulders,” Campbell told the gathering. “We encourage you to organize yourselves into community-based enterprises that can support sanitation and improve your environment.”
He argued that without community involvement, the city’s sanitation drive would not achieve its intended results.
Adding another perspective, HRH Ms. Monica A. Swen, Miss Earth Liberia – Environmental Protection Agency, reminded participants that sanitation is tied not only to cleanliness but to health and human dignity.
“Sanitation is not only about cleanliness,” she said. “It is about dignity, it is about health, and it is about protecting our environment.”
She stressed that every resident must take responsibility for ensuring safe and clean surroundings, noting that sanitation failures ultimately affect households first.
For some residents, the workshop was an eye-opener. Josephine Kollie, a Zayzay community resident, admitted that she previously thought waste management was the exclusive job of city authorities.
“I always thought sanitation was only the City Corporation’s job,” Kollie said. “Today, I understand that keeping my yard and street clean helps protect my family’s health. I will start making sure my children and neighbors get involved too.”
Organizers of the event said the broader goal is to promote sustainable sanitation, protect public health, and empower residents to take ownership of their communities.
With World Cleanup Day just days away, they expressed hope that the Zayzay community’s example would ripple through other parts of Paynesville, turning neighborhood workshops into a movement that empowers Liberians to see sanitation as a collective mission rather than a burden for the government alone.
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