OCTOBER 2024
Mutiara Kids, Flip-Flop Project - Alor
Our Mutiara Kids attendees in Alor have had a busy few months. Back in June, while undertaking a beach clean, they collected 3 large sacks worth of trash that had washed up on the coastline of Moru Village. The kids noticed that amongst the trash were lots of flip-flops. Flip-flops are common; they’re often forgotten on beaches or washed away while people are wading in the shallows.
Instead of disposing of the flip flops with the other trash found, we decided to reuse them for a project that would draw attention to the garbage that can be reused.
During subsequent classes, our 2 Mutiara Kids teachers, Safira and Yanti, helped the children to wash and then cut the sandals into small pieces. The students used these pieces to create a mosaic depicting the islands of Alor Regency surrounded by sea creatures.
The project took months to finish and was painstaking work. But I think you agree that the result is incredible and that it sends a clear reminder of just how much trash ends up in the ocean. Over 250 flip-flops were collected from beaches and diverted from landfill to make this mural. Our staff in Loang even got involved when not enough blue flip-flops were found to finish the mural!! Loang’s security team sent over blue flip-flops found during their weekly beach cleans. A shout-out should also be given to the managers who acted as our flip-flop courier service while travelling between sites!
The biggest thank you, of course, goes to the Mutiara Kids students in Alor, who worked tirelessly to see this project through, from beach clean to finished artwork. Their creativity and dedication to protecting our oceans shine through in this masterpiece, which will be hung in the Mutiara Kids classroom.
Written by Beki Moru
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