By Yiep Joseph
Save the Nile in collaboration with Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church (Hai Muhandisin) over the weekend led a cleanup initiative in Suk Darfur in Juba.
This initiative was part of Global Youth Day (GYD 2025), a movement that inspires young people to “Be the Sermon” by serving their communities.
Makur Majeng, Project Lead of Save the Nile stated that participants were involved in garbage collection as well as informing the residents on the importance of keeping their surroundings clean.
He said that the initiative which involved over twenty participants focussed on collecting plastics around the market as well as cleaning the surroundings.
Majeng appealed to the government and other policymakers to invest in waste management to keep the Country clean.
“We urge the government and policymakers to invest in better waste management infrastructure and enforce stricter regulations on plastic pollution,” he said
“Save the Nile joined the local youth for a successful community cleanup in Suk Darfur, together, we collected waste, removed plastic pollution, and took action to protect our environment,” he added
According to Majeng, the cleanup initiative would soon be extended to high schools to educate students on sustainable waste management practices, and cleanups their areas around.
The project lead called on youth and the public to team up in keeping the country clean by taking part in most initiatives.
“Our message to the youth and citizens at large is simple: the fight against plastic pollution starts with each of us. We all have a responsibility to keep our communities clean and our rivers free from waste. Small actions, like properly disposing of plastic, reducing single-use plastics, and joining cleanup efforts can create a significant impact. Together, we can ensure a cleaner, healthier future for South Sudan,” he said.
“We urge the government and policymakers to invest in better waste management infrastructure and enforce stricter regulations on plastic pollution” he added.
“We also encourage more young people to get involved in initiatives like Save the Nile. The environment belongs to all of us, and by working together, we can drive real, lasting change,” he added
He added that Save the Nile faces a lot of challenges in its mission to ensure a clean country.
“One of the biggest challenges we face is the lack of proper waste management systems. Many communities in Juba do not have designated waste disposal sites, leading to plastic waste ending up in the water,” he said.
“Additionally, low awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution makes it difficult to change behaviours. Limited resources such as funding, cleanup equipment, and recycling facilities—also hinder our efforts to scale up our impact,” he added.
He added that Environmental protection is not just the responsibility of one group but requires the efforts of everyone.
“If we all take small steps, together, we can create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable South Sudan,” he said.
In his part, Pastor Charles Lagu of SDA Church (Hai Muhandisin) called on the public to focus on cleanness adding that people of God have to be clean and stay in a clean Environment.
“For you to be clean you must make up impact in your community, God’s people are Holy and for you to be Holy you need to be also clean,” he said.
“If all of us can put our hands together to collect all the dirt away and will live in a healthy community and community which is going to be clean,” he added.
He appreciated the community for supporting the cleanup initiative and called on them to continue with the cleanup around their surroundings.
“We want to thank God for the community around here, they are so positive in Joining us that is why we are able to clean the road, market and the surrounding,” he said.