Ndirande residents in clean-up exercise

Waste Advisers and Ndirande residents joined forces on Sunday to clean streets, streams and drainages to keep the township clean.

Speaking in an interview, Waste Advisers monitoring and evaluation officer Doreen Ndovi said it was important to conduct the exercise to address pollution in the township, especially along rivers and streams.

She said: “Ndirande, being one of the populous townships in Blantyre, faces a significant challenge when it comes to waste management.

“Unfortunately, the seriousness of this issue is often overlooked, leading to a number of problems such as cholera outbreaks and increased vulnerability to floods. Our goal is not only to clean up the waste but also to raise awareness about the importance of proper waste management.”

Group village head Gamulani said the exercise will help to restore the township’s beauty.

“We need a clean environment to live in good health and realise our dreams,” he said.

The chief promised to mobilise his subjects to take part in cleaning public places every month.

Stanley Sharpe, a Ndirande resident who owns a shop at Malabada, commended the organisation for leading the initiative.

He said: “We need to clean our surroundings because at the rate things are going, we are at risk of contracting cholera.

“I appeal to my fellow residents to avoid littering because at the end of the day, we will pollute our environment.”

In 2020, President Lazarus Chakwera launched a clean-up campaign to encourage Malawians to sweep and clean their homes, workplaces and other community surroundings every second Friday of a month.