During the very first week of our volunteering project with Go Romania, we took part in an environmental initiative to clean the Jiu River, just upstream from the dam. It was an eye-opening experience that showed us both the beauty of nature and the scale of the pollution affecting our rivers.

Working from a motorized platform, we used long grabber tools to collect floating waste trapped along the riverbanks and around the dam. Most of what we found consisted of plastic bottles and packaging, but among the rubbish were also unexpected items, including children’s toys, powerful reminders that everyday litter can travel long distances before ending up in our natural environment.

By the end of the day, we had filled around ten large garbage bags with waste removed from the river. While it was satisfying to see the water become cleaner, the experience also highlighted a worrying reality: far too much plastic and household waste continues to find its way into our rivers, threatening wildlife, ecosystems, and ultimately our own communities.

Rather than stopping there, we wanted to turn this experience into an opportunity for education. With Go Romania, we invited a local school class to take part in a similar clean-up activity. What initially felt like a fun outdoor adventure for the children quickly became a meaningful lesson about environmental responsibility. As they collected bottles, cans, and other discarded objects, they began to understand how everyday actions can have lasting consequences for nature.

We hope that experiences like these inspire the next generation to care for the environment and encourage everyone to think twice before throwing away waste. Protecting our rivers starts with small actions, and when communities come together, those small actions can make a real difference.

This activity reminded us that volunteering is not only about cleaning up the environment, it is also about raising awareness, inspiring others, and helping to build a more sustainable future.