Over 100 students from Divine Word University (DWU) took part in a major town clean-up this morning, Saturday, the 12th of July 2025, as part of a community service initiative organised by the DWU Student Representative Council (SRC) through its Pageant and Community Service Committee. SRC President McKoi Malt said the clean-up was part of efforts to promote and support the upcoming DWU Pageant Show, which will be held later this year. Malt told PNG HAUSBUNG that “The clean-up was organised by the SRC Pageant and Community Service Committee, with full support from the SRC executives.” He said students gathered at the Student Services car park around 7:00 AM before being transported to the Water Board area. From there, they were divided into smaller groups and assigned to clean different locations, including the fish market, the main market, and roads leading to Brian Bell, parts of Kalibobo Oval, and areas near the Water Board. Malt said, “The SRC and Student Services provided gloves, rakes, and garbage bags, and arranged two fleets of vehicles for rubbish collection and disposal.” He also mentioned that during the clean-up, students came across officers from the Madang Police and the Community Policing Unit (CPU), who were also cleaning parts of the town. “Although the initiative of the police and CPU was separate, both groups collaborated on the day to clean the area,” Malt said. He confirmed that the activity ran from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM, beginning at the Water Board and ending near the fish market and Memorial Lutheran Church. SRC Vice Female President Tess Duri also spoke about the Cleanathon, explaining that it is an initiative designed to engage students in promoting the values of community engagement, respect, and learning for life. Duri stated, “The Cleanathon is formulated to engage students of Divine Word University to promote and demonstrate the values such as community engagement, respect, and learning for life.” She added, “In this Cleanathon, we also aimed to have students interact with locals and provide students the understanding and need of promoting a clean environment externally, where the students can step out of the boundaries of the university to experience doing something for the community, which is not frequently done.” According to Duri, the Cleanathon is usually organised annually by the SRC to promote volunteering among students and to build character. “It is usual that the SRC of the University conducts a school Cleanathon as an activity that not only promotes a clean environment but to help students to develop the character of active volunteering,” she said. She explained that Madang Town was chosen for the clean-up because it is where many people, including students, access goods and services. Duri said, “In Madang Town, this is where most of the people travel to make incomes and provide basic services, and for the students, this is where we come to shop, to make transactions, and to have access to services.” “We encourage students to participate as this shows our pride in having to share a place of common interest,” she added. She also pointed out that the Cleanathon was the first for the year and was organised as a lead-up to the Pageant Night. “This Cleanathon is the first of the year 2025, and because it encouraged teamwork among the students and demonstrated unity among the student body. "It also helps students to develop civic responsibility." She said the activity fulfilled two of the Pageant’s objectives: “Encouraging Involvement and Cooperation among the students, staff, and DWU community,” and “Providing an opportunity for networking and connections.” Duri described the Cleanathon as a success. “There were more students who showed up than anticipated, meaning there were three rounds of drop-offs by three separate vehicles." "We covered more ground due to the large number, and there was an overwhelming sense of participation and commitment." “Students were excited to do something for the community and picked rubbish, raked and packed them away in garbage bags enthusiastically."