Six-year-old Rusiate Jitoko led the youths and elders of Saru Village in Lautoka during the village’s first ever community clean up yesterday.

The clean up campaign which was organised by the Turaga-ni-Koro (village headman) of Tavakubu Village (neighbouring village), Aisea Vuda, brought together all the villagers.

Mr Vuda said previously, individual homes would do their own clean up but this was a first community clean up for the 800 plus villagers.

He said one of the main reasons he organised the clean up was to involve youths in positive activities to keep away from crimes.

“This is our first community clean up and I’m glad that the youths took part in this because one of the reasons I was keen to involve them was to keep them away from commiting crime and creating a bad name for themselves,” he said.

“I am planning to hold this cleanup every quarter, this is another way to get to mingle around with the villagers.”

He said the villagers collected items like tins and plastic items and would sort it out ready in time for garbage collection day.