The GREEN IT UP CAMPAIGN AT THE KADO-FISH MARKET ABUJA, NIGERIA

MEMO

From: Grace Danso

To: Executive Director

Cc: Board of Directors, Encourager Members

Date: 7th September, 2024  

REPORT ON GREEN IT UP CAMPAIGN AT THE KADO-FISH MARKET ABUJA, NIGERIA

Introduction

This report provides a detailed account of the Green It Up campaign held at Kado-FCT Fish Market, Abuja, on September 5, 2024. The campaign, organized by The Encourager Association, was designed as both an environmental action-driven initiative and a donation effort aimed at fostering sustainable waste management practices within the community. It included activities such as a clean-up exercise and the donation of a 1,100-litre metal garbage bin to ensure proper waste disposal. The report outlines the key activities, marketing and publicity strategies, pre-event preparations, participation, and challenges encountered, as well as recommendations for future initiatives.

Campaign Overview  

The Green It Up campaign at Kado-FCT Fish Market was designed to be both action-driven and donation initiative. The event was structured to emphasize practical ways in which market vendors and the local community can contribute to environmental sustainability. It included the following key activities:

Clean-Up Exercise: Volunteers and community members worked together to remove litter and waste around the market, demonstrating the importance of a clean environment for health and business.

Donation: A 1,100-litre metal garbage bin was donated to ensure that cleanliness and proper waste management is maintained at all times.

Marketing/Publicity  

The campaign was promoted through a combination of digital and physical channels:

Digital Publicity: Social media platforms were used to promote the campaign, generating awareness and encouraging volunteers to participate.

Physical Publicity: Members and volunteers in Abuja shared flyers online and did a word-of-mouth advertising that brought in some persons who were willing to volunteer.

Pre- event preparations

The management of the market was informed ahead of the clean up exercise. Although due to the audit which was ongoing at the market at the time, the event was shifted to Thursday, 5th September 2024.

On the 4th of September, the team set out for the purchase of the bin to be donated. A bin was identified and due to the high cost of the printing, the Team got the materials needed and did the printing on the bin.

In the letter sent to the market manager, we requested for a partnership where the leadership will support the initiative by providing brooms and other tools needed. However, during a brief meeting with the management on the 4th, she assured the team of support but not tool-wise.

After this meeting, we went ahead to purchase the necessary tools needed for the exercise which included brooms, rakes, gloves, masks, and garbage bags.

Arrangements for the transportation of the garbage bin to the market was made and the team got some snacks for food after the running around for the preparations and each person retired to the homes to prepare for the event day.

Clean up day Participation and Community Engagement  

The event saw registrations from volunteers that were willing to donate their efforts to help out with the cleaning. However, due to the logistics involved in terms of number of T-shirts, transportation and feeding, only 5 persons were selected to participate in the event.

Overall, the cleaning exercise saw Participation from 20 volunteers, including members of The Encourager Association, local community members, and market vendors. The collaborative nature of the campaign created a strong sense of community responsibility toward maintaining a cleaner and healthier market environment. Summary of the participation includes:

Donation

After the cleaning exercise was completed, the garbage bin and the other cleaning materials like brooms, rakes, gloves and nose masks, were donated to the market community to support the efforts we had made in ensuring the continuous cleanliness and proper waste management practice of the Kado-FCT fish market.

The donation was well received by the market Chairman and Market manager on behalf of the market community. In an appreciation remark, the market chairman appreciated our efforts and hoped that the exercise will be a beginning of open doors for more to come.

Challenges  

While the campaign was largely successful, a few challenges were encountered:

Waste Disposal Facilities: The market lacked adequate waste disposal bins, hence, the garbage bin donated might not serve them for a very long period due to strain on the garbage bin, making it difficult to maintain cleanliness in the long run.

Partnerships: There were talks to bring onboard some partners that will be willing to help the initiative by creating awareness to the market community on the need to maintain the cleanliness. However, no partnerships were secured to due to personal interests of the partners.

Next Steps  

To build on the success of the Green It Up campaign, the following steps are recommended:

Conclusion

The Green It Up campaign at Kado-FCT Fish Market successfully achieved its goals of promoting environmental sustainability and community engagement. The clean-up exercise and the donation of essential waste management materials helped create a cleaner environment and fostered a strong sense of responsibility among market vendors and local participants. Despite challenges, including the limited waste disposal infrastructure and partnership obstacles, the event was well-received, with volunteers and community members actively contributing. Moving forward, continuous engagement with partners and volunteers, along with social media awareness, will be essential to sustaining the campaign’s impact and expanding its reach.