Day 2: Asia in Action — Local Wisdom, Regional Momentum

Day 2 of the Let’s Do It Leaders Academy in Singapore saw the heart of Asia on full display. From Cambodia to China, Nepal to Indonesia, the region came together to share not just what we do — but why we do it.

With delegates from over a dozen countries — including Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, Maldives, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, Macau, Singapore, Japan, China, Nepal, Kenya, Indonesia, and Cambodia — the day was rich with grounded practices, shared challenges, and bold ideas for what’s next.

🇮🇳 From India, Wahidul reminded us that real change starts at the roots — in their case, through community-led education for children living in urban slums.

🏔️ Mahesh from Nepal challenged us to look higher — literally — calling for cleanups to extend to mountain regions, where plastic waste is quietly growing.

💡 We also looked into new forms of pollution. Pål Mårtensson, Let’s Do It Oceania’s Regional Director, brought attention to the growing issue of digital waste — a type of invisible trash that’s rising fast. With more than half of our countries in Asia already exploring Digital Cleanup Days, his message couldn’t have been more relevant.

🎯 The day’s focus on communications reminded us that how we tell our story matters.

🇮🇩 Andy Bahari from Indonesia walked us through a candid journey of testing, failing, and refining his approach to awareness campaigns. “The best campaign is a localised campaign,” he said — and Asia’s diversity only proves this point further.

🇰🇭 From Cambodia, Bura shared how World Cleanup Day has become the country’s largest civic movement — driven by strong collaboration with ministries and public agencies.

🇯🇵 And in a full-circle moment, Japan — our host of the 2024 Leaders Academy — shared how that momentum helped secure official recognition for World Cleanup Day in World Expo Osaka 2025. A testament to what long-term engagement can unlock.

We closed the day with updates on the strategic direction of the movement.

🌍 Heidi Solba, President and Head of Global Network at Let’s Do It World, laid out the global roadmap ahead — strengthening country-level support and empowering local leaders.

🌏 Then Augustina Iskandar, Regional Director of Let’s Do It Asia, shared the Asia strategy: building stronger national teams, sustainable funding models, long-term HR support, and an exciting update on the Asia Office now taking shape in Japan.

🌿 Next stop: mangroves! Tomorrow we roll up our sleeves for a hands-on cleanup, with nature as our classroom and each other as our team.