On the morning of June 5, the town of Afrisipakrom awoke to a different rhythm. Along its bustling streets, school children laughed and marched beside mining engineers and professionals - partners in a shared mission to rid their town of plastic waste. For one day, this quiet community in Ghana’s Tano North Municipal Assembly became the stage for something extraordinary: a united stand against plastic pollution, led by Newmont’s Ahafo North Project.

With a lot of boots on the ground, bins in hand, and this message echoed through every corner of the town: “This land gave birth to us, let us not dishonour it.”

Making World Environment Day Personal

For World Environment Day 2025, Newmont Ahafo North did not just observe the occasion, they made it personal. Under the global theme ‘Ending Plastic Pollution,’ the mining company brought together community members, traditional leaders, and students for a massive cleanup exercise designed to shift hearts, minds, and habits.

“We do not consider today as a regular date on the calendar,” said Charles Bissue, General Manager of Ahafo North, in a speech that struck a rare balance between urgency and inspiration. “It is a reminder - a call to action - that the health of our communities and planet is directly tied to how we manage our waste, especially plastic.”

A Cleaner Town, A Stronger Message

The campaign was more than symbolic. Students from six schools marched alongside Newmont employees and Afrisipakrom residents, transforming the cleanup into a vivid demonstration of collective power. As the last piece of plastic was collected from the roadside, twenty brand-new 240-liter waste bins were handed over to the schools.

These bins were more than containers. They were seeds of transformation. They represented a new mindset, teaching the next generation that sorting plastic from organic waste is not just a duty, but a habit of pride and a ritual of respect for Mother Earth.

“They are not just Newmont’s support to our communities,” Mr. Bissue emphasized. “They are tools for our shared future. We must own them. Use them. Maintain them.”

From the Mine to the Market: Living the Example

At the mine, Newmont has been walking the talk. Its “Chicken Parade”, a site-wide cleanup exercise, has evolved into a culture of responsibility that employees carry into their homes and communities. Through its Waste Segregation Programme, the company is showing that recycling begins with a simple decision: the decision to care.

“The difference,” one employee shared, “is not in how much waste we collect, but in how many minds we can change.”

One story shared during the event captured the heart of the movement. It was about an elderly woman, known for her spotless compound. When asked why she took such care, her answer was simple yet profound: “This land gave birth to us. If we don’t take care of it, we disgrace our ancestors and rob our children.”

That sentiment became the unofficial anthem of the day. It was no longer only about plastics or pollution; it was about dignity, heritage, and building a legacy of clean water, fertile land, and healthy people.

Students Take the Lead and the Road Ahead

As the event drew to a close, school children, many of whom are first time environmental champions, chanted in unison: “I Will Beat Plastic Pollution.” Their voices, young yet resolute, carried the promise of a better future. A future where waste is not a problem postponed, but a challenge tackled daily in classrooms, markets, and homes.

Newmont’s involvement in ending plastic pollution is clearly not about ticking boxes on a corporate checklist. It is about standing shoulder to shoulder with the people and proving that sustainability begins with small, consistent actions.

And as the dust settled on World Environment Day, one thing was clear: the bins may have stayed behind, but something far more valuable remained - belief.

Belief that the effort toward a cleaner, safer, and healthier Tano North Municipality has taken off.