At the end of June we had a really exciting and wonderful event.

Our first Mbuyu Katanga Community clean up.

When our 80 mum's and dads ( of our Read for life kids) completed our WASH program ( Water, and sanitation and hygiene) we asked them to share with us how they thought we could improve the sanitation and hygiene of katanga slum community. After all its their community - they know the best way to impact it.

They collectively agreed we should hold a community clean up, not only to pick up rubbish but to raise awareness as we cleaned of better ways to dispose of rubbish and the importance of good hygiene, to the overall health of all citizens of Katanga.

So with the support of the local council and some local businesses who donated various cleaning items for us, all our Mbuyu team along with more than 70 of our families set about cleaning Katanga one Friday.

It was an exciting day and bought us all closer together. There was lots of joy and laughter as we joined together for prayer and for a photo before we headed out in groups.

Some picked up rubbish, some cleaned up muddy piles, others cleaned out water channels.

We collected a large full truck load of rubbish in just a matter of hours. ​​

The rubbish collection guys spent hours loading all the rubbish we collected onto the pack of council rubbish trucks.

It was exciting - not only to be able to make a practical effort in cleaning Katanga - but also to have people in the communtiy asking us what we were doing and wanting to be involved.

We also had many people stopping us and telling us how they'd been hearing about the work of The Mbuyu Foundation and the difference it was making in Katanga - PRETTY HUMBLING to say the least!

The community clean up was deemed a GREAT success and our families are pushing for us to make it a monthly event, with them heading it up!

We hope to do this in the future when we can find some more financial backing for it.

While it didn't cost a huge amount - we did have to pay for the council to come and take the rubbish we collected away and pay for water and gloves and other items. We also fed the attendants something small when done. The whole day cost about $160 AUD to run.

We are having another one coming up in September, this one won't just be the adults but it will also be all our read for life kids - so they will be coming in their families this time!

Here's to a cleaner and safer Katanga for all the beautiful families that call it home!

JUST A COUPLE OF MUMS AND THEIR BUBS