(VOVworld) – Every Sunday morning, visitors to Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake find a middle-aged man patiently collecting litter strewn on the path or under the benches. He is Ninomiya, Director of the Japanese-invested Ishigaki Rubber plant located in Hanoi-Dai Tu Industrial Park. For over a year, he and a group of volunteer youths have done this simple job to protect the environment around Sword Lake. This week, VOV’s Bui Hang profiles Mr. Ninomiya.

Mr. Ninomiya collecting litter around Hoan Kiem Lake every Sunday

Ninomiya is friendly and unassuming. Carrying a small backpack and a litter stick and wearing a plastic bag on his left hand and an iron band on his right hand, Ninomiya wanders around the lake picking up cigarette butts, candy wrappers, and empty bottles, trying to keep the public space clean. He has lived in Vietnam for four years and says he wants to do something useful for the Hanoi he loves so much. Ninomiya first heard about the work from his friend Mr. Takuchi of Japan’s Ashahi Densco Vietnam in the Noi Bai Industrial Park ‘Mr. Takuchi of Ashahi Densco Vietnam initiated the work a year ago. I decided to get involved in the activity as I work in Vietnam and want to do something useful for the country. The work is very useful, doesn’t require any money, and anyone can do it including children.’

Ninomiya has mobilized his company’s employees to help collect litter around Hoan Kiem lake. He has also printed leaflets urging environmental protection and delivered them to volunteers who can pass them on to others to help them understand what they are doing. He has also prepared recruiting tools to attract more volunteers to his activities. Ninomiya confides ‘The activity is not organized, it depends on people’s sense of responsibility. Anyone including strangers can participate. To date, most of the participants are Vietnamese. What makes me happiest are the children who help collect litter.’

Ninomiya and his volunteer group now spend 30 minutes every Sunday picking up litter. 26-year-old Phan Linh working for Likanvina Company says ‘I like volunteer work. I used to not know how to apply for volunteer work. Luckily, Ninomiya, who works near my company, introduced me this activity, which I find meaningful. I hope more people will join.’

On the last Sunday of each month, even grade school kids join the clean-up. Nguyen Duc Quang, an 8th-grader at Sai Dong secondary school, says ‘I joined because I hope people will stop littering and protect the environment. This activity is meaningful.’

Tran Thi Thu Huyen has participated in the activity from the beginning saying ‘I realize not all people not pay attention to environmental protection. The more I join, the more I see its values. Children who used to thoughtlessly leave litter in the streets become more conscious of the need to protect the environment after they take part.’

Vu Khanh Ly, a student of Hanoi University, learned about the activity via the media and last Sunday was her first time doing the clean-up. Ly say she now feels closer to nature and the environment and finds Sword Lake more impressive when it’s cleaned up. Ly says ‘The collection of litter has contributed to environmental protection and raised people’s awareness of environmental protection. I feel happier joining hands with others in this way.’

Ninomiya’s efforts to protect the environment around Hoan Kiem lake has attracted a lot of attention. His message is that we all should help to make the area cleaner and more beautiful.