AYV News, June 18, 2025
In a compelling show of environmental advocacy and national pride, the Africell Impact Foundation has joined forces with the Commonwealth Games Sierra Leone and the Ministry of Tourism to host the symbolic King’s Baton Relay ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
Held at the Africell Sports Zone on Lumley Beach Road, the event served not only as a sporting celebration but as a clarion call to tackle plastic pollution under the slogan “Kip Am Klin.”
Speaking during the ceremony, Kippy Debs, Director of the Africell Impact Foundation, emphasized the urgent need to protect Sierra Leone’s coastal ecosystems from plastic waste.
“Sierra Leone is at a crossroads—one that determines the health of our beaches, oceans, and future generations,” Debs noted. “Plastic waste has become an insidious threat, suffocating marine life, polluting our shores, and eroding the natural beauty we are so proud of.”
Debs stressed that the nation’s beaches are not just places for recreation, but critical ecosystems supporting biodiversity, local livelihoods, and tourism. With millions of tons of plastic entering oceans globally each year, she declared it is no longer about awareness but about action.
The Foundation, she said, has been leading grassroots environmental campaigns focused on recycling, education, and sustainable policy advocacy. “We have empowered communities to reduce, reuse, and recycle—turning awareness into measurable action,” she added.
Calling on all Sierra Leoneans to be part of the solution, Debs encouraged participation in beach clean-ups and the adoption of environmentally responsible habits, assuring that every effort counts toward a cleaner and healthier environment.
She concluded by urging athletes heading to Glasgow in 2026 to bring home trophies and national pride while leaving behind no trace of plastic.
Prince Sualley, President of the Commonwealth Games Sierra Leone, lauded the Africell Impact Foundation for its steadfast support, describing the organization as a “permanent fixture within the sporting circle.”
He explained the King’s Baton Relay is a key tradition that occurs every four years ahead of the Commonwealth Games, with each of the 74 member countries receiving its own personalized baton. Sierra Leone’s baton, he said, was designed by Foday Dumbuya, a renowned London-based designer, and proudly features the national colors—green, white, and blue.
“This isn’t just a symbolic event,” Sualley said. “It’s a meaningful opportunity to promote unity, sustainability, and national identity. The beach setting and environmental theme reflect the pressing issue of plastic pollution in our oceans.”
He also noted the rebranding of the relay from the Queen’s Baton Relay to the King’s Baton Relay, honoring King Charles III, the current monarch of the United Kingdom and head of the Commonwealth.
The event concluded with a community beach clean-up exercise along the Lumley-Aberdeen stretch—reinforcing the “Kip Am Klin” message with real action on the ground.
As Sierra Leone looks ahead to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the King’s Baton Relay leaves behind more than footprints—it leaves a national reminder that environmental stewardship and unity go hand in hand.
