“Our planet is suffering…” A young Saudi woman’s answer to that?
Lama Jamjoom took matters in her own hands and launched a Cleanup Community platform on Instagram. The ultimate goals are for people to change their relationship with the environment, reduce pollution, and to manage their waste more.
“It is not your litter, it is your planet. You have to take responsibility,” Jamjoom told Arab News. “I felt like we needed an account that would spread awareness and be active with frequent events so I started this account and it just blew up.”
This awesome initiative first kickstarted as Jamjoom’s graduation project but we bet it’s here to stay. The first Cleanup Community event gathered at least 30 volunteers in Jeddah’s Muhammadiyah district and the young team cleared up the beach from garbage (43 trash bags filled with waste, to be exact). The volunteers were prepped for their environmental mission; they wore hi-vis vests and face masks for protection against dust and debris.
Best part of it all? It was FUN. “At the beginning, I thought I would be quite tired but instead it was a lot of fun to be with your friends and to actually have a feeling that you are doing good for your community,” volunteer student Ghala Al-Hajri shared with Arab news.
Another fellow volunteer Shahad Jaber, 25, knew about this new environmental initiative through social media: “I decided to participate because we have to do something for this planet,” she told Arab News. “It is the only planet we will ever live on.”
This Instagram platform is perfectly inline with the Kingdom’s Saudi 2030 vision, which aims to safeguard the environment, establish comprehensive recycling projects, and reduce pollution. Follow this brilliant initiative here and sign up for their next Jeddah cleanup.
