Last month, we visited one of our key projects in Bandung to confirm the location to test the Clean River Model. We joined the daily actions, felt the energy of the River Cleanup School program and discussed the further implementation of our Clean River Model with the local government and policy makers. Arno, our Chief Operating Officer, takes you along for the ride!
In January of 2024, a journey across continents brought together our Belgian and Indonesian teams. It was super fun because some of us had never met our Indonesian teammates in person. It felt like meeting old friends for the first time.
We went to Bandung, a lively city in Indonesia, with a mission: to find the perfect spot to make rivers clean and keep them that way. And guess what? We found it! It's a place where we can really make a difference.
At the start of the trip, we all rolled up our sleeves for a major cleanup action. A neighborhood had been hit hard by floods, and together with over 100 volunteers we helped to clean it up. It felt good to be there for others in tough times.
Our days were packed with cool activities and visits. We zipped around on scooters, had meetings in our workspace, and even talked with the local government about making our cleanup dream a reality. Every step felt like we were getting closer to something big.
We also visited our MRF or Materials Recovery Facility, where discussions on waste management sparked ideas for innovation. Local leaders like Mr. Ibo in the Cibunut neighborhood shared inspiring stories of grassroots waste management and community engagement. Plus, visiting schools and teaching kids about keeping rivers clean was a highlight. Their energy was infectious!
This trip wasn't just about meetings and cleanups. It was about coming together, learning from each other, and sharing a dream of clean rivers. Seeing everyone—volunteers, local leaders, teachers, and kids—get excited about helping was inspiring.
Let's keep this energy going and make even more rivers clean. Every bit of help counts, and together, we're making our world a better place.
Cheers to clean rivers,
Team River Cleanup
