Gorongosa National Park Youth Clubs are promoting water treatment techniques throughout the sustainable development zone.
Water is an essential resource for life, but when consumed without proper treatment, it can cause serious illness and even death. To raise awareness among young people and communities about the importance of clean water for health and well-being, Gorongosa National Park Youth Clubs held a series of activities in the sustainable development zones.
Under the theme “Safe Water Treatment Measures,” young people participated in group activities, radio broadcasts, game sessions, and awareness-raising activities at public fountains, where they learned practical water purification and conservation techniques. The goal was to reinforce good water conservation practices among young people and communities, ensuring the health of all.
Messages were presented and taught about water treatment methods and their procedures: boiling water for one to three minutes to kill bacteria, viruses, and parasites; using water filters to remove impurities and contaminants; and adding chlorine to the water in recommended doses to disinfect it. The young people also learned the importance of checking water quality before treating it, following the instructions for each method, and storing treated water in clean, sealed containers.
“Change starts with young people.” Young people are expected to understand the risks of consuming contaminated water and the importance of safe treatment. They should begin implementing simple water purification methods and continue to act as agents of change, spreading messages in their communities and passing on knowledge to peers, neighbors, and family.
Cristo Rei and Eduardo Mondlane Youth Clubs lead river clean-up project for World Environment Day.
Cleaning up the Nhandare River was a project of the Gorongosa Youth Club this year and focused on water quality. As part of the celebrations for World Environment Day on June 5th, a group of 68 (24 girls) members of the Youth Clubs of the Cristo Rei and Eduardo Mondlane Secondary Schools, both in the Gorongosa district, joined forces to carry out the cleanup project.
The choice of this location was not by chance — it is the main laundry area for nearby villagers and cleaning it up was aligned with this year’s global theme, which calls for a reduction in plastic pollution.
Club and local community members collected significant amounts of plastic waste, especially improperly discarded detergent powder packaging: a type of waste that follows the river’s course to the ocean, where it causes damage to aquatic ecosystems.
The initiative’s main objective was to raise awareness among users about the impacts of plastic waste on a river showing small local actions can have large global effects. In their interactions with users, the young people made it clear that “the planet starts to change when we start to act.
Texto/fotos: Augusto Marques, Samo Jossefa Samo
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