A new partnership between the Tondani Lushaka Forum and the Guardian Angel Wildlife and Marine Trust (GAWMT) has identified youth discipline and character building as the foundation of its plan to address environmental degradation in Alexandra.

The two organisations formalised their partnership at a meeting on September 8, agreeing to combine efforts in pursuit of a shared goal of ensuring that Alexandra is environmentally cared-for.

Founder and trustee of GAWMT Honorary Colonel Raymond Kramer said the partnership’s approach rests on the principle that young people are more receptive to behavioural change than adults, and that this receptiveness should be the entry point for any broader clean-up effort. “It is easy to bend a young tree than an old tree, and at the end of the day, if we focus on the youth and we keep a principle ‘Keep Kasi Clean’, that is where it starts,” Kramer said.

Read more: Residents clean up the streets undettered

He noted that the Guardian Angel Scout movement, which began with a single member, has since grown to about 1 900 Scouts, drawn largely from disadvantaged backgrounds, building their discipline and character.

Chairperson of the Tendani Lushaka Forum Robert Nwedo said the partnership intended to move beyond discussion and into action. “We need to immediately make sure that we start with actions. We want to prioritise cleanliness in our community,” he said.

According to Kramer, the initiative will not attempt to address the township’s environmental problems in their entirety at once. Instead, the organisations plan to concentrate on a single area before expanding outward. “We need to get measurable success, and once we get measurable success, we are judged on our success, because success brings success,” Kramer said.

Previous attempts to keep parts of Alexandra clean by multiple organisations have been undermined by continued littering. Nwedo noted that previous efforts saw areas become dirty again within seconds of being cleaned, adding that once the new programmes are initiated, the organisations will actively raise awareness about the importance of cleanliness.

Also read: Community comes together to clean up Freedom Market

Kramer said the programme would rely on visible, organised engagement with residents, including uniformed Scout activities and direct communication about the purpose of the initiative. He said the presence of adequate waste disposal infrastructure, such as accessible dustbins, would also be necessary to support behavioural change. In addition, he said parents would be expected to reinforce the standards being taught to their children, framing this as a reciprocal obligation between generations.

To sustain compliance, the partnership plans to introduce a system of community recognition for areas that maintain cleanliness, which may include physical markers of achievement for the community and certificates for participating children.

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates!