Youth participate in community cleanup
You may have heard that this is World AIDS Week, but you may not be aware that we are also two days into Youth Week. This morning News 5’s Jacqueline Woods discovered that today’s activities focussed on the plain old fashioned hard work of cleaning up the city.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
The cleanup was just one of the community service activities held to commemorate Youth Week. A number of young persons from the Youth for the Future Programme and the Young Women’s Christian Association took on the challenge to rehabilitate some of the city’s recreation areas.
Ana Carillo, Coordinator, Community Service Clean-up
“We target mostly the south area parks because they are not given more attention to them. We visited some of them on the northside and the other centrally located areas and they were basically clean and they needed no kind of cleaning at all and no help.”
But the same could not be said of the Caesar Ridge Park. The facility’s grass was desperately in need of a chop and the grounds were littered with debris.
The youths, armed with the necessary tools, quickly got down to work. While they may have had their hearts in the right places, the young men and women soon realized that it would take more than just good intentions to get the job done.
Ana Carillo
“As you can see, the grass is high, there is a lot of garbage, there is a lot of weeds…Basically what they will be doing, they will chopping, raking, picking up of garbage, cleaning some areas where they needed more help with like there are boards.”
Despite the bright sun, the youths said they didn’t mind the sweat.
Shaun Bennett
“Well, I guess this is the best day because couple of days back it was raining and it was very cold and nobody would like to come out here in the rain or cold, so I guess this is the best day.”
Yesenia Velasquez
“Belize really need some cleaning. I nevah mi know we mi wah come here, so I just decide to come, because my brother told us that we mi wah come, but I nevah know we mi wah come and work right here.”
Jacqueline Woods
“So when you got to this park and found out that you need to chop some grass, how did you feel?”
Yesenia Velasquez
“Well I feel proud of myself to help Belize to clean.”
Jacqueline Woods
“How has the group been getting along?”
Yesenia Velasquez
“Some of the boys they fraid fi get a machete and work.”
Just a short distance away, another group of young women were busy cleaning the street and drain.
Tricia Collins, Coordinator, Y.W.C.A. Clean-up
“The YWCA clean up is a small portion of the part of Youth Week, and we decided in our chair meeting that the young people need to give back to the community, especially with it comes to the sanitation of the community, young people tend to take advantage of the situation because we have sanitation companies. And so we a part to teach them responsibility, we said, we’re going to bring out your girls and let them feel how it feel when the ladies and gentlemen are out here doing their daily routine.”
Monica Requena
“it’s wonderful for our community to keep it clean and beautiful and see that we are proud of our Belize City.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Has it been difficult?”
Monica Requena
“No, it hasn’t been difficult; it’s really good and fun.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Is this something you’d like to do?”
Monica Requena
“No, not really.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Why not?”
Monica Requena
“I don’t know, it’s just…”
Jacqueline Woods
“A little too dirty for you?”
Monica Requena
“Yes, ma’am.”
But while the girls may not have been keen on picking up somebody else’s garbage, they did admit that at the end of the chore they felt good doing something positive for the community.
Jacqueline Woods
“What garbage have you been picking up?”
Alicia Oliva
“Like plastic, chips bag, ideal plastic, a lot of things.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Are you surprised of the stuff that you’ve been picking up?”
Alicia Oliva
“Well yes, because I don’t think children should be throwing out garbage on the street. I think they should put it in a bag. Or if they pass by and they see garbage bucket or something they shall throw it in there.”
The clean up lasted half the day and by mid afternoon, the group had collected over a dozen bags of garbage. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
Youth Week is being celebrated under the theme, Building the Nation, One Youth at a Time.
