More than 30 people with disabilities took part in the cleaning day on the eastern side of Sairan Lake last weekend in Almaty. The cleaning day was dedicated to the Earth Day celebration.
Together with volunteers from ecological organizations and private companies – members of the Working Group on Corporate Social Responsibility, which exists in the Chamber of Commerce (USA), young people gathered the rubbish, left by negligent citizens around Sairan Lake.
It was the third Day of the Earth, which is annually organized by American Chamber of Commerce and posadiderevo.kz
This time the participants gathered more than 300 bags of garbage, glass and plastic, which will be recycled after. Kazakhstan Kagazy gathered papers, which is also going to be recycled.
The event aims to increase the awareness of the population about ecological problems. Taking part in the cleaning day raises the level of ecological culture, says Nadezhda Vlashenko, the representative of posadiderevo.kz and the coordinator of eco club and eco brigade. “When people gather the garbage themselves, they don’t want to throw it away anymore,” says Vlashenko.
More than 150 people from different organizations took part in the cleaning day voluntarily. “We don’t make people come. We all have a job, a business, things to do” says Oleg Novikov, PR coordinator of posadiderevo.kz However, we shouldn’t forget about the responsibilities we have to our environment, says Novikov.
Organizers were glad to see so many people, who desired to make some of the city areas better.
The cleaning day was organised with the support of AECOM, Beeline, BritishAmericanTobacco, KPMG, KazakhstanKagazy.
Civil Society Development Association ARGO became one of the organizers of the event. It is implementing the national information campaign “Empowerment Now!” which aims to develop the tolerance and respect towards people with disabilities, as well as involve disabled people into active social life of the country. The campaign is being implemented together with partner associations of people with disabilities (“Namys,” “Shyrak,” and ASRIV) with the financial support of USAID/CAR.