Interface Academy Ecoclub Join Forces With City of Kadoma To Clean Cam & Motor Community.

By Azriel Chimeno

Residents of Cam & Motor in Kadoma stepped out to noticeably cleaner streets last Friday as the City of Kadoma partnered with Interface Academy’s Ecoclub for a large-scale community cleanup. Led by the City of Kadoma Mayor, Nigel Ruzario, and other council officials, the joint effort formed part of the national cleanup campaign held every first Friday of the month across the country. Council officials and dozens of students worked together to clear the school yard, illegal dumpsites, drainage channels, and litter across key areas of the community. The day highlighted how local government and young environmental leaders can combine resources and energy to tackle waste management challenges and restore public spaces.

The City deployed environmental health officers, waste collection trucks, shovels, gloves, and refuse bags to support the operation. The Ecoclub led efforts in cleaning the Interface Academy school yard first, then moved into the surrounding Cam & Motor community to sweep, bag waste, and conduct door-to-door awareness.

The cleanup focused on identified hotspots around Cam & Motor, including bus termini, open fields, and drainage lines that had been clogged by plastic bottles, polythene, and household waste. Council teams handled heavy waste and coordinated disposal at designated landfill sites, while students targeted smaller litter and engaged households directly. This division of roles allowed the campaign to cover more ground in a single day and ensured waste was not just moved, but properly disposed of.

Because the exercise is part of the national cleanup campaign held every first Friday of the month, organizers framed it as both service and education. Ecoclub members used the outreach to talk to residents about separating waste, avoiding indiscriminate dumping, and maintaining clean surroundings between campaign days.

Public spaces that had become dumping points were cleared and left ready for community use again. Clearing drainage channels was a priority, with officials noting that blocked drains contribute to flooding and disease during the rainy season. By addressing this, the campaign linked environmental cleanliness to public health and infrastructure protection.
Speaking during the cleanup exercise, Interface Ecoclub Coordinator Priscilla Chivende said the club sees cleanliness as part of its responsibility. “It is our duty as the Ecoclub to make sure that our school and the surrounding community are clean. We cannot just learn about the environment in class and do nothing about it,” Chivende said.

She added that the students were encouraged by the support from council leadership. “We were overwhelmed by the presence of the City Mayor who came and cleaned with us. He cleaned the school yard and the surroundings. That is what we call a City father leading by example,” added Chivende.

The coordinator also noted that the club regularly engages residents beyond cleanup days. “The club usually holds interactions with the community on keeping the community clean. Today gave us another opportunity to remind people that a clean environment starts with each household,” she said.

Also speaking on the sidelines of the event, Mayor Nigel Ruzario said it was a good day working with the students. “It was a good day cleaning with the students in Cam & Motor. We had the chance to conscientise the community on keeping their environment clean. When we all take responsibility, Kadoma becomes a better place for everyone,” the Mayor said.

A City of Kadoma official added that such collaborations are critical to sustaining momentum beyond the first Friday of every month. “Students take the message home, and that is how we keep our city clean,” the official said.

Residents who participated welcomed the initiative and committed to keeping the cleared areas clean. Many cited blocked drains and illegal dumps as ongoing concerns and said they hoped similar campaigns would continue regularly.

The Cam & Motor cleanup demonstrates the value of collaboration between local authorities, schools, and community members in addressing urban waste. With the school yard and surrounding areas cleaned, tons of waste collected, drains cleared, and hundreds of residents reached with awareness messages, the partnership delivered both immediate results and a longer-term message.

Interface Academy Ecoclub was established in 2024 and since then, the Club has been partinaring with other Organisations like Regional Network for Children and Young People Trust ( RNCYPT), CABICCA and EMA under the leadership of Priscilla Chivende.