A total of 66 WAO volunteers, partnering with Ward 103 Councillor Lynda Shackleford, were joined by representatives from the community and filled more 400 bags of waste, informal recycling and river pollution which has afflicted Sandspruit in Sandton for more than two decades, in a rainy morning in Sandown. Ward 91 Councillor, who has also partnered with the volunteers before, also joined this impactful clean-up, says the organisation.

Weather conditions could not dampen the spirit of the volunteers, councillors and community members in what is believed to be a first of many with the group in combating pollution and illegal recycling at the river which functions as a "green lung" in Johannesburg.

Councillor Shackleford applauded the group and expressed her excitement and hope for the initative. "You're doing incredible work. I have been hoping for this day for nearly two years. We have worked together in cleaning the Braamfontein Spruit before. I have seen the incredible work you do nationally and globally, and particularly in Randburg and at Golden Harvest Park. I hope you can make this river your main big project in Sandton."

Jill Hagley, from the Sandspruit Environmental Renewal Initiative and Sandown resident, also expressed her excitement and gratitude to her volunteers. "We are aiming for this to be an open conservative and a place of enjoyment for the community. I hope we can be in this together and see it through to the end. Thank you so much. Please pat yourself on the back. You simply are amazing."

The clean-up was also part of ASEZ WAO's 'Blue Ocean' global campaign, where the group takes the lead in saving the streams, the rivers, the beaches, and the seas, and also protecting marine ecosystems.

ASEZ WAO is the young adult worker volunteer group from World Mission Society Church of God who contribute in making improvements for mankind and the earth by taking care of their neighbours and communities with young adults' passion and positive energy and participating in environmental protection activities.

ASEZ stands for, "Save the Earth From A to Z", and WAO stands for "We Are One". So ASEZ WAO means Save the Earth from the beginning to the end as one family. The young adult volunteers practice the virtue of serving mankind through various volunteer activities and climate response activities in 178 countries and 7 800 regions around the world, concludes the organisation.

For more information, visit www.asezwao.org.

*Image courtesy of contributor