Staff Reporter
Windhoek-Bank Windhoek’s Ondangwa branch staff last week collaborated with the town’s council in a clean-up and awareness campaign themed: My Waste, My Responsibility.
The campaign was aimed at keeping the town clean and raising awareness among residents on the importance of a clean and healthy environment. Residents were encouraged to refrain from littering and to promote the reuse, reduction and recycling of waste material. About 2,000 community members from formal and informal settlements, established institutions such as schools, businesses and churches, joined the initiative. “Our identity and ethos are closely linked to the well-being of our country and we share the responsibility to bring positive change by creating an environment of empowerment and prosperity. The sustainability of our environment is possible through clean-up initiatives such as the one we have just completed,” said Bank Windhoek’s Ondangwa branch manager, Frikkie Louw.
The seven informal settlements in Ondangwa each had seven ‘environmental guards’ who volunteered and educated residents in their settlements. They competed for a reward of N$10,000 worth of shopping vouchers
Bank Windhoek also sponsored N$5,000 worth of shopping vouchers for a primary and secondary schools competition. Schools were tasked to initiate proposals based on how to reduce and reuse waste in their town. Thereafter, learners had to make products from waste materials.
Oluno Primary School walked away with a shopping voucher worth N$1,200, while Shinime Primary School came second and was awarded N$800. The third prize of N$500 in shopping vouchers went to Olukolo Primary School. In the secondary schools category, Onangolo Secondary School won N$1,200, Olukolo Secondary N$800 and Andimba Toivo Ya Toivo Secondary School walked away with N$500.
The schools that participated were Ondangwa Junior Secondary School, Nangolo Senior Secondary School, Olukolo Secondary School, Shinime Primary School, Olukolo Primary School and Oluno Junior Primary School.