This collaborative effort saw participation from the Sacred Heart School, the Saba Conservation Foundation, Public Entity Saba employees, Sea and Learn Foundation, ICS, Saba Reach Foundation and the Filipino community of Saba, amongst others. Throughout the week, volunteers dedicated their time and energy to cleaning different areas of the island, removing debris, and restoring Saba’s natural beauty.
Saba Conservation Foundation played a crucial role in coordinating efforts at the Fort Bay Harbor, both on land and in the water, (with divers being recruited to take on the latter). Grades 2, 4 and 5 of the Sacred Heart School students also enthusiastically participated, accompanied by their teachers, reinforcing the importance of environmental responsibility. Public Entity Saba employees, with members from the Waste Management team taking the lead, joined in full force to clean The Bottom. On the final day of the cleanup, the Filipino community of Saba also made significant contributions in the village of Hell’s Gate.
In addition to the clean-up efforts, Sea and Learn Foundation hosted a series of creative workshops for children at BSO, Afterschool Care and Child Focus Foundation. These workshops turned the collected waste into unique crafts, teaching the younger generation about the importance of recycling and the impact of waste on the environment. The children’s enthusiasm and creativity shone through as they transformed trash into treasure, highlighting the potential for repurposing materials that would otherwise pollute the island.
Policy Advisor, Quirine Hakkaart, expressed her appreciation for those who participated, and encouraged community members to continue the dedicated efforts to keep our island clean and to promote environmental awareness.
With the collective efforts of the community, the Island Cleanup was successful and reinforced the message that maintaining a clean environment requires ongoing commitment and collaboration from all.
