Over 100 girl guides on Saturday in Juba turned up for a street-cleaning campaign, targeting the streets from University roundabout to Buluk Police Station and the road from Juba University to South Sudan Radio and Television.

The chief commissioner of Girl Guides in South Sudan Mary Elias Ladu said that they chose Saturday for the clean-up drive because girl guides go to school on other days of the week. Next Saturday, 12 March, they are expected to celebrate International Women's Day.

“If we keep our environment clean our children will not get sick, our children will be free from diarrhea, malaria and so many sicknesses that are brought by the dirt in our country,” she said, also urging the public to take part in the clean-up.

She asked the women of South Sudan to one day organize themselves to clean their towns. She also encouraged the young girls who are in the organization to concentrate on their studies.

For his part, Juba Mayor Stephen Wani launched the cleaning campaign saying that waste could pollute the Nile and cause diseases. The mayor also urged people to change their violent behavior toward women and respect them.