The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Images via Clean Zamalek Campaign

They say change comes from within. And while on larger scales there needs to be more than individual efforts, it still translates into small ripples on a huge ocean which, when combined, can effect significant change. While this may sound too poetic for something very simple, it is a principle that many of us should learn to adopt.

In efforts to beautify their own neighbourhood, Zamalek residents have come together through The Zamalek Association to help their area become more clean and safe with the Clean Zamalek Campaign. They’ve recently started this cleaning drive, and last Friday was Week 5 of this initiative.

This campaign is 100% self-funded and they invite all Zamalek residents to bring the equipment needed (brooms, shovels, gloves, trash bags etc.), and gather for 2 hours every Friday to help make Zamalek cleaner and safer for them and the rest of its residents.

As we’ve said, this event has started in November, and the 14 December was their fifth week. They believe in social collaboration, and in the strength of participation from all residents of Zamalek. Their campaign has grown, and on their Friday cleaning walks, they are joined by a representative from the Cairo Cleaning & Beautification Agency, as well as a representative from the District’s Municipal Office. Together, they help clean the streets and raise awareness among locals on the importance of cleanliness and maintaining this healthy status for each street.

Mervat Saad, one of the people responsible for this initiative, told El-Watan News how this all works. She said that each participant will have his own cleaning equipment and bags, they would collect as much trash as they can in these bags, then load them into garbage trucks to be taken away. This is completely self-funded and is different from the usual public efforts by government cleaning personnel. Merval believes that “as residents, we have a larger role in the cleanliness of our community. We must do this ourselves, this will help us all learn to keep our streets cleaner.”

We hope this campaign maintains its stride, and goes on to resonate with residents of other areas in Egypt. Change does come from within, and such small steps can be the path to much bigger milestones.