2026.08.03
More than 400 students from three primary schools in Alotau took part in a SPOGOMI competition held on 5 June to celebrate World Environment Day. Students from Alotau Primary School, Koeabule Primary School, and Goilanai Primary School joined the event, along with teachers, parents, community members, and local government officials. In total, around 500 people participated. The event was organized by the Alotau Urban Local-Level Government(ULLG) together with JICA Volunteer Mr. Koki Matsumoto, who works in environmental education.
Turning Environmental Lessons into Action
Littering remains a challenge in Alotau, and keeping public spaces clean is an important concern for the community. Through environmental education classes, students have been learning about the impact of waste on the environment and the importance of proper waste segregation. The SPOGOMI competition gave them an opportunity to put those lessons into practice. SPOGOMI is a team-based activity that combines litter collection with friendly competition. Teams collect and sort rubbish, earning points based on the type and amount of waste they gather.
370 Kilograms of Litter Collected in One Hour
Students worked together to collect and separate different types of waste, including plastics, recyclable materials, biodegradable waste, cigarette butts, and other litter. By the end of the one-hour competition, participants had collected an impressive 370 kilograms of waste from around the community. The event not only helped clean the town but also encouraged students to think about the kinds of waste that affect the environment most.
Just a small portion of the litter collected in a short clean-up effort.
A Winning Strategy
One of the highlights of the day was the way students approached the competition strategically.
Knowing that cigarette butts carried the highest point value because of their harmful environmental impact, a team from Alotau Primary School focused on collecting as many as possible. Their plan paid off, and they emerged as the overall champions of the competition.
The enthusiasm and teamwork shown by the students impressed teachers and visitors alike.
Dropped in a second, left behind for years. Everything in this photo is a cigarette filter.
Growing Interest Across the Community
The event was attended by the Mayor of Alotau, representatives from the health sector, local media, and members of the public.
According to officials from the Alotau ULLG , one of the biggest achievements was that the competition became a community-wide event, drawing interest from people beyond the participating schools.
The Technical Manager from the Alotau ULLG, a participant in a JICA’s waste management training in Japan last year, also played an active role in the planning process. He helped shape the event by proposing the invitation of local media and government representatives, contributing to broader community participation and visibility.
School leaders also praised the activity, noting how much the students enjoyed taking part while learning about environmental responsibility.
The impact of the event continued even after the competition ended. Following the success of the program, the Mayor of Alotau expressed interest in organizing a future SPOGOMI competition for community members.
Working Together for a Cleaner Alotau
The SPOGOMI competition showed that environmental education can be both practical and enjoyable.
By bringing together students, schools, local authorities, and families, the event encouraged greater awareness of environmental issues while helping to keep Alotau clean.
With growing support from the community, initiatives like SPOGOMI have the potential to inspire even more people to take an active role in protecting their environment.
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