Namibia debuts at World Cup for trash collection

Three City of Windhoek waste management workers will today make history as Namibia’s first representatives at the SpoGomi World Cup in Tokyo, Japan.SpoGomi is a name derived from the combination of the word sport with the Japanese word gomi, meaning trash. The Japanese sport turns litter-picking into a competition in which teams collect and sort as much trash as possible within a set time limit.The sport aims to transform the socially beneficial act of cleaning up into a fun, competitive, and engaging game while raising awareness about waste and environmental issues.Namibia has fielded the City of Windhoek team comprising Imelda Kazombiaze, Tuahehuka Tjamburo and Mestilde Kashile, accompanied by team manager and local sport organiser Elago Nantana.Nantana is the event manager and chairperson of the Delivery Room Foundation (DRF), which serves as the official organising partner of SpoGomi.How they qualifiedDRF, in collaboration with the Avea Foundation, selected the trio following its outstanding performance at the qualifiers held in Windhoek in March.At the event, the City of Windhoek team outperformed 32 other teams comprising nearly 100 participants in a cleanup of Zoo Park, collectively gathering over 130 kg of waste in 90 minutes.Although the team had close to 10 members during the qualifiers, only three were eligible to travel to Japan, as required by international SpoGomi rules.“The international SpoGomi format only requires three-member teams, which aligns with the structure used in Japan and all other qualifiers worldwide,” Nantana told Sport Wrap yesterday.The Namibian team is set to go up against competitors from 33 other countries in what is considered the world’s most environmentally friendly sport.AcknowledgementsSpeaking to this publication yesterday, the players expressed excitement at representing the country on the global stage.For Kazombiaze, it was a proud milestone to showcase her litter-picking expertise to the world.“Representing my country and city fills me with pride. We are not just picking up trash – we are showing that Namibians care about our future, our environment, and our global reputation,” she said.Tjamburo welcomed the opportunity to fly out of the country’s borders.“It’s been an incredible journey from Windhoek to Tokyo. We are ready to show that a small team from Namibia can stand among the best. Teamwork and heart will carry us through,” she noted.Kashile acknowledged the privilege of making the cut for the world stage.“Being chosen to compete on the world stage is such an honour. We hope to inspire other young people back home to join in, act boldly and believe that they too can change things for the better,” she remarked.Team manager Nantana said the trip was made possible by Japan’s Nippon Foundation, which covered all expenses.“We have also received support from the Japanese Embassy, the ministries of international relations and sport, Rent-A-Drum, the Windhoek municipality, and various universities and media,” he said.– mariud@nsh.com.na

Namibia debuts at World Cup for trash collection

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Republikein 2026-06-18

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Namibia debuts at World Cup for trash collection

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