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Rotary Project
Uniting with community champions to clean Jamestown Beach in Accra - Ghana
The shoreline in Jamestown, Accra - Ghana, colloquially known to many locals in the area as Kinshasa Beach, has increasingly borne the brunt of environmental degradation. Unlike typical beach cleanups that deal primarily with single-use plastics, volunteers confronted a deeply complex ecological challenge: the heavy accumulation of discarded clothing mixed with plastics, nets, metal waste and more which wash ashore from nearby markets and choke the marine ecosystem.
Recognizing the scale of the challenge after an industrial visit, the Rotary Club of Accra-South leveraged Its Youth Service Club; Rotaract Club of Accra-South and Rotaract Clubs of Accra-Dansoman, Accra-Adabraka, Accra Osu-RE and the specialized expertise of The Or Foundation and the Tide Turners; an organization renowned for its research and advocacy against textile waste and its dedication to environmental reclamation.
In a powerful demonstration of community solidarity on May 23 2026, a dedicated force of over 276 volunteers spent three hours raking, sorting, and hauling away an incredible 33,511 kg of waste, completely transforming the shoreline of Kinshasa Beach in Jamestown.
This exercise took place as part of a weekly cleanup exercise by The Tide Turners; a cooperative emerging from The Or Foundation training program and aims to tackle the critical environmental and ecological crises caused by textile waste (Second-hand clothing or Obroni Wawu pollution) and marine plastics along Accra’s vulnerable coastline. By integrating the strategic leadership of Rotary, the youthful energy of Rotaract, and the deeply structured, grassroots execution of the Tide Turners, this project serves as a model for collaborative environmental stewardship and the promotion of a circular economy in Ghana.
Clear Targets for Lasting Change
Our joint mission went far beyond simply picking up litter. When our volunteers hit the beach, we achieved four clear objectives:
Mass Waste Remediation: Physically extracting tons of heavy, water-logged textiles, ghost nets, and single-use plastics that clog our beaches and destroy marine habitats.
Supporting Grassroots Champions: Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Tide Turners to amplify their phenomenal work and sustain their weekly momentum.
Local & Global Advocacy: Raising critical awareness among local residents and the global diaspora about the real environmental cost of fast-fashion waste dumping in West African ecosystems.
Mentoring Future Leaders: Providing our Rotaractors and community youth with a deeply structured, hands-on volunteer experience rooted in civic responsibility and environmental discipline.
This project is a testament to what happens when community organizations refuse to look away from local challenges The goal is to find sustainable, long-term avenues to upcycle, downcycle, and responsibly manage textile waste—keeping it permanently out of municipal landfills and our precious marine habitats.
By combining professional strategy, youth energy, and grassroots discipline, we aren't just cleaning a beach—we are protecting our environment and proving that change is entirely possible when we work together
