The youth leaders set out to clean their local youth center while educating employees, volunteers, and community members on environmental responsibility. The first component of the project focused on environmental awareness, teaching participants about the short- and long-term benefits of recycling and conservation.
Inclusive activities brought together youth with and without intellectual disabilities in meaningful roles, with 12 directly engaged and many more impacted through broader outreach. The project included clean-up campaigns, educational sessions, and collaboration with community stakeholders.
The project was inspired by the Windhoek CleanUP campaign and supported by the staff at the Special Olympics Namibia office, who played a key role in encouraging and guiding the youth leaders.
The project conducted inclusive clean-up activities around the local youth center and nearby areas, contributing to a cleaner community space. Participants learned important skills related to environmental awareness, recycling practices, and teamwork.
The group also became part of a local clean-up club, strengthening their connection to the broader community and participating in ongoing campaigns. Their work transformed a previously unmaintained space into a clean and usable area, including the development of a volleyball court.
The Eco-Inclusion project created a lasting impact by bringing together youth with and without intellectual disabilities to take shared responsibility for their environment. Through regular clean-up activities and educational sessions, participants not only improved the physical spaces around their youth center but also strengthened their sense of community and belonging. What began as a local effort grew into broader engagement, with youth becoming active members of a city-wide clean-up club and building relationships with community members and stakeholders.
Youth developed habits of keeping their surroundings clean and gained knowledge about recycling and sustainability. Even after the project period, the group continues to take part in regular clean-ups and environmental education through partnerships with a nearby recycling plant and the Windhoek CleanUP campaign. This ongoing involvement demonstrates the project’s sustainability and its role in shaping long-term attitudes and behaviors toward environmental care and inclusion.
The youth leaders reflected on the importance of collaboration, adaptability, and perseverance. While not everything went according to plan, they adjusted their expectations and continued to move forward, learning valuable lessons about resilience and teamwork.
They were especially proud of building new partnerships, becoming part of a larger community initiative, and teaching responsibility and ownership to other youth. The experience also reinforced the value of inclusion, recognizing that every individual contributes unique strengths to a shared goal.