King’s Baton Relay Plastic Pick-up at Pipo Beach

Environmental association leaders gather with the King's Baton Relay banner, uniting to tackle plastic pollution ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

At the invitation of the Association for Community Awareness (ASCOA), leaders from diverse environmental associations, including the founder of For Earth's Sake, Mrs. Lizette Ngangue Bewekedi, joined forces with MINEPDED (the Ministry of the Environment, Nature Protection, and Sustainable Development) to lead the King’s Baton Relay Plastic Pick-up at Pipo Beach, Akwa Nord, Douala, along the banks of the Wouri River on July 25, 2025. ASCOA, the Nonprofit organisation recommended by the Commonwealth Body to coordinate this activity, extended the invitation to its faithful partners. Representing Cameroon, they contributed to advancing the global goal of preventing 1 million plastic items from entering Commonwealth oceans ahead of Glasgow 2026, a wonderful initiative by the Commonwealth Games Federation.

Despite persistent rain, the event marked a significant stride toward Cameroon’s contribution to the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign, aiming to prevent 1 million plastic items from entering Commonwealth waterways ahead of the Glasgow 2026 Games.

A Collective Commitment

Hosted in conjunction with the King’s Baton Relay, a reimagined journey launched by His Majesty King Charles III in March 2025, the plastic cleanup forms a core component of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign. This campaign targets the prevention of plastic pollution across all 74 Commonwealth nations and territories between March 2025 and July 2026, aiming to remove 1 million plastic items through local clean-up efforts and education initiatives.

During its first phase across the Caribbean, the campaign had already collected over 167,500 pieces of plastic, mobilizing thousands of volunteers in events that combined beach clean-ups, educational workshops, and community activation. 

Why Pipo Beach?

Pipo Beach sits in Akwa Nord, a district of Douala, and lies on the banks of the Wouri River—a critical estuarine ecosystem facing environmental pressures from plastic pollution. Cleanup efforts here are vital not only for marine health but also for local livelihoods and biodiversity.

The King’s Baton Relay: More than a Ceremonial Tour

This event aligns with broader Commonwealth efforts to embed environmental stewardship into cultural and sporting narratives. The King’s Baton Relay serves as more than a ceremonial tour—it’s a catalyst for community-led cleanups, environmental education, and sustainable practices, all contributing to the campaign’s international goals.

Ending plastic pollution is a long journey. The cleanup at Pipo Beach demonstrates that persistent local action matters. As the Relay continues across Africa and then on through Asia, Oceania, the Americas, and Europe, community engagement in each nation will tally into the larger goal: safeguarding oceans for future generations.

Whether you’re an individual, community group, or government partner, there’s a role you can play in preventing plastics from polluting our oceans. Share your ideas, volunteer for upcoming cleanups, or help drive awareness in your networks. Together, we can keep showing up—for our rivers, our coasts, and our planet.