On 22 July 2025, Saral Nepal, one of the Youth Advocacy Groups under the EU-funded GreenShift project, successfully organized a River Cleanup Campaign and Street Drama for Environmental River Conservation at Golaghat, Bharatpur. The event focused on the meeting point of the Narayani and Rapti rivers, an area of high ecological and cultural importance.
More than 44 people, including young volunteers, community members, and local leaders, joined the campaign. The clean-up removed around 10 to 15 kilograms of garbage from the riverbank, showing that the area has been routinely maintained but still requires continuous action. Wooden trash cans with partitions were also displayed to promote waste segregation and proper disposal.
Following the cleanup, youth performed a street drama titled The Cry of the River, which highlighted how plastic pollution harms rivers, animals, trees, and people. The performance received a strong response from the audience. One community participant shared, “Seeing young people perform the drama made me realize how my small actions, like throwing plastic in the river, can cause big harm. I will be more careful from now on.”
Chief Guest Bishal Kumal, Chairperson of the Rapti Control Buffer Zone Community Forest User Group, praised the initiative, noting that “the leadership of young people is inspiring, and it shows us what can be achieved when the community comes together.” GreenShift’s Waste Smart Fellow of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Monika Gurung, also spoke about the circular economy and the importance of reusing and reducing waste.
The program was chaired by Bishal Kumal and managed by Rupak Ghimire, with active involvement from Saral Nepal’s President, Manish Poudel. He expressed gratitude to all participants, saying, “This campaign reflects the vision of GreenShift, where young people lead the way in creating sustainable solutions for our environment.”
This youth-led initiative not only raised awareness about river conservation but also reinforced GreenShift’s commitment to circular economy practices and sustainable, youth-driven climate action in Nepal.
