On Sunday 13 March 2022, the International Solidarity Cleanup of oeoo and its partner organisations took place in 15 locations worldwide on the occasion of the Nile Coalition of oeoo, Verynile and environmental organisations in four countries bordering the Nile. Under the motto “Waters have no borders!”, teams from oeoo and local partner organisations organised simultaneous cleanups.
Organisations in the following 10 countries worldwide participated: Egypt, Brazil, Burundi, Germany, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Rwanda and Uganda.
- Cairo in Egypt ( oeoo / Verynile)
- Uganda 2 x (oeoo / Junior Rangers / Greenwatch)
- Rwanda (oeoo / Red Rocks Initiative)
- Burundi (oeoo / ABN – Association Burundaise pour la protection de la Nature)
- Battambang, Kampong Cham und Phnom Penh in Cambodia (oeoo / Comped)
- Bekasi/Jakarta in Indonesia (oeoo / waste 4 change)
- Manila/Philippines (oeoo)
- Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia (oeoo / bluHope)
- Rio de Janeiro in Brazil (oeoo Rio)
- Kiel in Germany (oeoo / SDA)
| Country | Collected waste | Planted trees |
| Philippines | 1.200 kg | |
| Indonesia | 424 kg | |
| Cambodia | 2.380 kg | |
| Malaysia | 846 kg | |
| Egypt | 520 kg | |
| Uganda | 3.000 kg | 100 trees |
| Rwanda | 25 kg | 800 trees |
| Burundi | 20 kg | 500 trees |
| Germany | 545 kg | |
| Brazil | 310 kg | |
| Total amount: | 9.270 kg | 1.400 trees |
“Despite global crises, the pandemic and currently the terrible war in Ukraine, we must never lose sight of environmental and climate protection. We must clean and protect the environment! Because not only a peaceful coexistence of the peoples of the earth must be our goal, but also to preserve our livelihoods on earth for us and future generations.”
Günther Bonin, founder and chairman of One Earth – One Ocean e.V. (oeoo)
“As the first cleaning action organized by oeoo Manila, our new team is proud to be a part of the international solidary cleanup in cooperation with the Nile cleanup and verynile. We will focus on Areas in Paranaque (Metro Manila), close to the Paranaque City College. As the litter is mostly accumulating at the shores in this area, will clean the bay- and river shores. Due to the still existing Covid 19 regulations, we will only have a reduced team of about 20 persons.
This is not only a solidary cleaning event. oeoo and verynile use this chance, to show the world what is doable, even in hardest times. Even war and viruses can’t stop our love for the environment. Nothing will stop the hope we create by doing so. Hope that we can still change course. Hope that we are able to clean up. Hope that our World Leaders wake up and clean up as well. And hope to save our planet.”
Daniel Scheler, oeoo Project Manager Philippines
“Blu Hope (BH) is proud to be a part of the international solidarity clean-up in cooperation with the Nile clean-up, OEOO and Verynile. Thank you very much indeed for including us!
In fact, this event dovetails perfectly with kick-starting our own series of planned monthly clean-ups with our Sabah Plastic Neutral (SPN) platform/movement, in which we aim to make Sabah – the most biodiverse Malaysian state on the island of Borneo, ‘Plastic Neutral’ by end-2026.”
Simon Christopher, Founder of bluHope, Malaysia (www.bluhope.org)
“On 13.3.22, a Nile clean-up will take place in up to 9 riparian states of the Nile. Our partner oeoo has co-organised this action. As a sign of our solidarity, we from the SDA- Scientific Diving Association, together with the Diving, Sports and Sailing Centre of Kiel University, want to support this Clean Up.”
Board of the SDA- Scientific Diving Association Kiel, Germany (https://www.sda-kiel.info)
“The COMPED and oeoo Cambodia Teams have been organizing and participating many clean-up activities and events in Cambodia. This time, to be part of the international solidary clean-up action with oeoo International VeryNile, we are proud to announce that we are organizing two clean-up events, one along the Mekong river on March 13 and another on March 14, 2022 at the Gulf of Thailand. For this occasion, the 3 oeoo Cambodia Teams, Phnom Penh, Battambang and Kompong Cham, will come together and unite as one, to implement these two events.”
Kim Heng Chau, COMPED
Here are some impressions in pictures and sound of the various activities worldwide:
Manila – Philippines:
oeoo Manila participated in the Nile Coalition’s International Solidarity Cleanup with 2 cleanups. Through the great commitment of the Maritime Police, DENR Department of Environment and Natural Resources, CENRO City Environment and Natural Resources, the Fire Department, Paranaque City College and many others, 1,407 bags of marine litter were collected in the Philippines. The oeoo Manila actions at the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat Nature Reserve added more than 100 more bags. With an average weight of over 10 kg, the oeoo team collected about 1.200 kg of Marine Litter for the Nile Coalition Cleanup Action on Sunday. Together with the Simultaneous Coastal Cleanup Action of the Maritime Police, alone in the Philippines more than 15 tonnes of rubbish have been collected by hand on this weekend!
As the temperatures are much more pleasant in the morning than at noon, both cleanups started right after sunrise. After breakfast, a short meeting and speeches by the participating organisations, the groups were divided into sectors and off we went.
We managed to talk to the director of the water police and made very important contacts for oeoo with DENR and CENRO.
Through this action, oeoo Manila already received its second state certificate of recognition.
Phnom Penh, Battambang, Kampong Cham and Gulf of Thailand – Cambodia:
The oeoo international cleaning campaign started punctually at 8.00 in the morning on 13.03.22 on the Mekong River. Three teams from oeoo in Cambodia were at the start. The team from Phnom Penh worked together with the Seehamster team from Battambang on the water and on the banks of the Mekong. The third team from Kampong Cham cleaned the outlet of a canal running towards the Mekong. On 14.03.22, another cleanup took place on the Gulf of Thailand. All in all, the three oeoo teams in Cambodia collectet 2.380 kilos.
Bekasi – Indonesia
As part of the International Solidarity Cleanup Day, the team in Bekasi cleaned the Bekasi River riparian area and removed almost 500 kg of rubbish, mostly plastic, which was sent for recycling.
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Kota Kinabalu/Borneo – Malaysia:
Our partner organisation bluhope organised a beach cleanup for the International Solidarity Cleanup with 132 participants in wonderful weather. 846 kg of waste was collected!
Cairo – Egypt
At the centre of the International Solidarity Cleanup for the Nile Coalition was VeryNile as co-organiser alongside oeoo. In Cairo, too, a team of many people collected and weighed rubbish on the banks of the Nile on 13 March. A total of 520 kilos were collected.
Jinja, Masese Landing Site – Uganda:
In Uganda, the International Solidarity Cleanup for the Nile Coalition held two cleanups together with our partners, the Uganda Junior Rangers and Greenwatch. Greenwatch’s event took place in Jinja in Eastern Uganda near the source of the White Nile, where trees were also planted. The Uganda Junior Rangers cleanup event was at the Masese Landing Site on the coast of Lake Victoria.
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Rwanda
In Rwanda, as one of the riparian states of the White Nile, not only a cleanup took place, but also nearly 800 trees were planted. 47 volunteers participated in the event, 25 kilos of litter were collected along the lakeshore. We planted 765 different species of trees. In addition, five environmental and water conservationists were recruited by the Red Rocks Initiative who will be responsible in the future for informing the communities where waste is properly disposed of. For this purpose, 2 waste bins have been made available to be placed at the pier.
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Burundi
Also in Burundi, the southernmost country bordering the White Nile, a planting campaign took place on 13 March, 500 seedlings were planted. Of course, a cleanup was also carried out.
Kiel – Germany:
In Germany, the central event took place at Kiel’s Schilksee sports harbour, where SDA’s sports divers recovered about half a tonne of rubbish from the harbour basin.
Rio – Brazil:
In Rio, 10 participants collected on two different beaches, once 230 kg and once 80 kg were collected!
So a total of 310 kg.
Many thanks to all who helped to make this great day a worldwide success for our environment!
