Tree Planting and Umuganda, The Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign in Rwanda
- James Clark
- 17 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Rwanda’s leg of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign and the Kings Baton Relay, took place from 25 to 30 October. This marks the end of the African leg of the journey to Glasgow 2026. The activities were centred around the shores of Lake Kivu in Rubavu District and brought together sport, sustainability and community much like these two projects intended, and the Commonwealth promotes.
The day began with a large-scale plastic clean-up along the shores of Lake Kivu, one of the African Great Lakes which lies on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The event was organised by the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee in partnership with the Ministry of Sports, the British High Commission, the Rwanda Environment Management Authority and Rubavu District. Volunteers, students and athletes joined together to collect litter as part of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Campaign before taking part in an environmental awareness session encouraging long-term care for Rwanda’s natural resources.
Each countries environmental action is different from the last, and Rwanda gave the campaign amazing images and messages from their impressive tree planting session. The British High Commissioner, Alison Thorpe was in attendance and joined participants to plant trees and praised the strong sense of community.
The Rwandan Commonwealth Games Association said, “We come together not only to plant trees but to plant hope, resilience and responsibility for our environment and for generations to come.”
Batonbearers for the Kings Baton Relay included cyclist Eric Muhoza and athlete Claire Uwitonze, both of whom represented Rwanda at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. They carried the Baton during the day’s events, which also featured girl’s and boy’s 3x3 inter-schools basketball competitions. The display reflected a lot of what the Commonwealth Games is about, representation of all genders and peoples, and the exhilarating action sports like 3x3 basketball always deliver.
Representing the Ministry of Sports, Mr Fabrice Uwayo congratulated the young participants, saying, “You have represented your schools with great spirit and determination. Let this same energy guide you as you grow in your sporting careers. Dream big, push your limits, and make Rwanda proud, just as today’s Baton Bearers have done.”
The event took place on the last Saturday of the month and therefore coincided with Umuganda, Rwanda’s national day of community service.
Umuganda, which translates as “coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome”, takes place on the last Saturday of every month from 8:00 to 11:00. Participation is a civic duty, and the day brings citizens together to clean, plant and build for the good of their communities.
Umuganda began shortly after Rwanda’s independence in 1962 and was initially organised informally under the name umubyizi, meaning “a day set aside by friends and family to help each other”. It became an official government programme in 1974, coordinated by the Ministry of District Development. Today it remains one of Rwanda’s most distinctive cultural practices and an example of the country’s spirit of collective effort and national pride.
The Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Project in Rwanda demonstrated how environmental protection, sport and community service can come together to create lasting impact. It was a celebration of shared purpose and a reminder of the importance of working together to protect the planet for future generation
ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
The Royal Commonwealth Society’s Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign will prevent one million pieces of plastic from entering Commonwealth waterways.
The campaign will combine education and local action to encourage people to reduce their plastic waste, highlight alternatives, and reduce pollution across the Commonwealth.
For the action component of the campaign, the Royal Commonwealth Society has partnered with Commonwealth Sport to deliver the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign as a core component of The King’s Baton Relay. This newly envisioned King’s Baton Relay will focus on sustainability and environmentalism and was launched by His Majesty The King at Buckingham Palace on Commonwealth Day 2025, beginning a 500-day journey to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July 2026.
Journeying through every Commonwealth nation and territory, this partnership will bring together young people, athletes, conservation groups, and the local community for a week of activities, including a plastic clean-up.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Royal Commonwealth Society.