Cameroon

Introduction

River Cleanup has been active in Cameroon since 2020 and have seen our impact grow over the years. By connecting with many volunteers, associations and communities we were able to raise awareness on plastic pollution and spark the transition to a better tomorrow.

Our Clean River Model

The Clean River Model is our open-source theory of change designed to achieve plastic-free rivers. It is built on three core pillars and supported by three key enablers. Through this model, we aim to stop new plastic pollution at the source and remove existing plastic waste from rivers in the most effective and cost-efficient way.

In Cameroon, we apply the Clean River Model to set the Wouri River on a path to becoming plastic-free. Below, you can learn how we implement each element of the model in the local context.

For more information on the model, visit the Clean River Model page.

Empower people

We strive to raise awareness and foster lasting community involvement to tackle plastic pollution at its source.
By helping stakeholders understand the root causes of plastic waste in rivers, we aim to deepen their knowledge and inspire meaningful action. Our approach includes regular community activities that bring together men, women, children, and teenagers across residential areas. These efforts include routine river cleanups and interactive sessions in schools through our River Cleanup School Program.

To amplify our impact, we host monthly River Cleanup Days, mobilizing entire communities and raising awareness of plastic pollution. We also participate in global environmental events such as World Environment Day and World Cleanup Day.

We are also strengthening local ownership by partnering with community leaders—including CBO leaders and elders—and have already gathered valuable insights from three communities on this community-led model.

Prevent pollution

Our prevention strategy tackles plastic pollution at every stage—from source to river.
We’ve installed EcoBins in schools to promote waste separation there as young minds are eager to learn and drive change. We also run daily cleanups with our river warriors, removing waste from rivers and illegal dumping sites. All collected materials are taken to our Material Recovery Facility (MRF), where they’re sorted and sent to recyclers for processing—keeping plastics from reaching the Wouri river. Finally, we inspire people to cut down on plastic use. Check out our database full of practical ideas to help reduce your plastic footprint!

Accelerate change

Our acceleration pillar focuses on strategic partnerships to fast-track the journey toward plastic-free rivers.
We collaborate with government stakeholders by sharing data, insights, and best practices—building a structured, evidence-based approach that can be adopted widely to accelerate impact.

To strengthen these efforts, we are actively collecting data and conducting assessments to better understand pollution sources. We involve local authorities not only through consultations but also during cleanup events and EcoBin deployments, building trust and gaining support for long-term solutions.

Assessment

We prioritize intervention areas based on potential impact, required effort, and scalability.
To design effective, river-specific action plans, we begin with a solid understanding of the problem—examining root causes, river characteristics, ecosystem services, ongoing interventions, and key stakeholders. This approach allows us to focus on early-stage interventions in the plastic lifecycle that empower communities, prevent pollution, and accelerate systemic change. It also forms the foundation for ongoing monitoring and impact evaluation.

As part of this effort, we’re conducting a baseline assessment across three rivers in our action zone. This includes stakeholder mapping, identifying plastic leakage patterns, and measuring plastic volumes, providing the insights needed to target solutions where they are most needed.

Planning & financing

Building on our assessment, we are developing a detailed, river-specific action plan to guide implementation and track progress.
This plan includes clearly defined KPIs to monitor and evaluate impact over time. Its goal is to ensure the successful execution of our Clean River Model by outlining targeted interventions, effective project organization, and risk mitigation strategies. Backed by data and insights from the baseline assessment, the plan also supports efforts to secure necessary funding and align stakeholders around a shared vision for cleaner, plastic-free rivers.

Monitoring & evaluation

We track the progress and effectiveness of our Clean River Model interventions by regularly monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) and evaluating outcomes against established baselines. This ensures we stay aligned with our goals, adapt where needed, and demonstrate measurable impact over time.

River Cleanup Cameroon in numbers

: 336
Events
: 18 384
Warriors
: 1 790 030
kg recovered

3 ways to contribute to this project

Join a cleanup

Did you know the River Cleanup Community is organizing cleanups all over the world, including Cameroon? In many cases the organizer provides cleanup material and guidance… so you only need to show up and get involved. Several times a year we have large global events happening such as World Cleanup Day, the #10minchallenge and monthly River Cleanup Days.

Check out the calendar below for upcoming events or take a look at the map to get a good view of actions around the world!

Organize a cleanup

You can also organize your own cleanup! It can be just you alone or you can involve friends, colleagues, local schools and/or community members… You set the time and locations and organize the event however you want. For more information, you can visit our 'How to organize a cleanup' page. We promise it's easier than you think!

To organize a cleanup right away, fill out the form below!

donate

You can make a one-off or monthly donation or organize a fundraiser, for example for your birthday, wedding or an important sport event. Your contribution enables us to achieve our mission by cleaning rivers, change behavior and transforming organizations.

Organize your own cleanup

Start by giving your cleanup a name and fill in your email address so that we can identify you or let you create an account in a later step.

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Now the most important part, when and where will the cleanup take place? Give some more details and inspire others to join your cleanup.

After the cleanup is ended you will be asked to register the amount of trash collected.

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Upcoming actions

Show past actions

Cameroon

RIVER CLEANUP DAY - JUNE 2025: PIPO BEACH

Jun 21, 2025

Douala

A glimpse of our action

From riverbanks to communities, we’re making a visible impact. Explore photos from our cleanup events and discover how local volunteers are helping to create a wouri plastic-free river — one action at a time.