International coastal cleanup day in The Gambia: the National Environment Agency, in collaboration with the WACA Project and partners, mobilizes hundreds of volunteers for beach cleanup.

On International Coastal Cleanup Day, 21 September 2024, the National Environment Agency (NEA), supported by the WACA Project and other partners, led an inspiring cleanup initiative on the country’s beaches. Hundreds of volunteers, including young people, security forces, and local organizations, gathered across the country’s coastline to clean the beaches.

“WACA has a strong and unwavering commitment to safeguarding the coastal environment,” said Dr. Muhammed Lamin Sanyang, WACA Gambia Project Coordinator. “That is why we partnered with NEA to commemorate Coastal Cleanup Day in the best way possible by bringing volunteers together to protect the country’s precious beaches from waste pollution and raising awareness.”

Beyond the cleanup, the day served as an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment and inspire more people to take action to protect the country’s coastline and resources. 

The Director of Intersectoral Services Network at the National Environment Agency, Lamin Camara, encouraged beachgoers, business owners and residents to make it a duty to safeguard the country’s coastline.