Dhenkanal - Odhisa - India

On 21 September, 30 children from Samajik Seva Sadan’s school in Banjhikusum, Odisha, took part in World Cleanup Day. In 40 minutes, they cleaned 100 square metres of garden, collecting plastic bottles, food wrappers, disposable spoons, clothes and other waste. Sweet, biscuit and chip wrappers were the most common items. The children sorted the rubbish, learning teamwork and environmental responsibility. But cleaning is only the first step: lasting change requires preventing waste at its source.