Kawale residents take back their streets

Residents of Kawale 1 and Kawale 2 are taking matters into their own hands as they prepare to clean their neighbourhoods in a community-led exercise scheduled for August 29, 2026. The exercise, to be led by Active Youth Organisation for Development (AYOD), follows an initiative by residents under the group Nzika za Mkawale and their block leaders, who agreed to organise a community-wide clean-up. AYOD Executive Director Vitumbiko Visangwika Ngwira said the residents’ decision demonstrates a growing sense of responsibility for the places they call home. “People from Kawale are planning to clean Kawale themselves,” Ngwira said. Participants will meet at Masintha Ground before cleaning areas stretching from Utatu Woyera Parish to Misisippi, including Kawale Police Station and Kawale Health Centre. The exercise will focus on removing improperly disposed waste and clearing blocked drainages, which Ngwira said can contribute to pollution of rivers and other water sources. He attributed some of the challenges to the high population density in the two townships, saying overcrowding has contributed to indiscriminate waste disposal in some areas. For residents, the exercise offers more than just a day of cleaning. It provides an opportunity for the community to collectively confront an environmental problem that directly affects their daily lives. Ngwira said environmental conservation and climate action remain among AYOD’s key areas of focus, adding that the organisation has previously supported similar clean-up activities at Biwi Market, Biwi Primary School, Chilinde Market and Area 23 Market. He has since encouraged more residents to participate, saying cleaner neighbourhoods require communities to take collective responsibility rather than leaving the task to others.