Super siblings Rahaf and Omar Saleh have been awarded for their inspiring efforts to keep the streets around their Bahrain home spotlessly clean and tidy … and shame the litter louts into changing their ways.
The schoolchildren, who live in Buhair, near Riffa, have become the face of a growing grassroots movement aimed at creating a cleaner kingdom and their awareness campaign has captured the attention of both local authorities and the wider community.
“We’re just trying our best,” said Rahaf, a 10-year-old student at Al Andalus Primary School for Girls, as she smiled at her younger brother Omar Aseel Nabeel Saleh, an eight-year-old student at Al Imam Malik Bin Anas Primary School for Boys.
They were honoured yesterday in a special ceremony for their commitment to environmental cleanliness and public awareness.
The event, held at the Southern Municipality headquarters in West Riffa, saw the children presented with their ‘dream gifts’ by Southern Municipal Council chairman Abdulla Abdullatif, in the presence of officials from the Southern Municipality and Urbaser Bahrain.
What began as two young children pushing a trolley down the streets of Buhair has turned into a movement that is now set to influence schools, homes and even policy makers.
“These children are a shining example of what can be achieved when passion and responsibility begin at a young age,” said Mr Abdullatif during the ceremony.
“They have gone beyond words and turned environmental awareness into daily action – something even many adults fail to do. The council is proud to support and encourage their efforts.”
Mr Abdullatif said the children’s example should inspire the country to engage young minds in civic education and environmental care.
“Rahaf and Omar are not just cleaning up rubbish – they are cleaning up attitudes. They are changing how people think about their responsibility to the community,” he said.
“We are committed to nurturing this awareness, supporting such initiatives and creating platforms for young voices to be heard.”
Every day, Rahaf and Omar are seen walking through their neighbourhood with a small trolley, collecting rubbish from around their home and neighbouring properties and taking it to the main municipal dumpster.
But their aim is more than just a routine clean-up – it is about instilling lasting change.
The siblings have launched their own awareness programmes on social media, sharing videos and posts encouraging proper waste disposal and discouraging littering, especially among children and families.
Their content highlights the importance of keeping public spaces clean, offering simple solutions and reminders for everyday hygiene and waste management.
What started as a household habit has grown into a community-wide initiative, with the two now leading a group of other neighbourhood children in correctly disposing of rubbish bags, raising awareness door-to-door and educating peers on basic cleanliness practices.
Their father, Aseel Nabeel Saleh, was overcome with emotion at the ceremony, as he saw his children recognised by public officials and the media.
“I’m so proud of my two children,” he told the GDN, wiping tears from his eyes. “They started this because they care – not because someone asked them to. I only guided them, but they took the lead. Today, I feel their message is being heard.”
For Rahaf, the official recognition of their efforts was not an endpoint – but rather a beginning.
“This is just the start,” she told the GDN with a confident smile. “We’re planning something bigger – a nationwide initiative that will reach more homes, schools and children. Bahrain is beautiful and we want to keep it that way.
“One bag, one trolley, one neighbourhood at a time – we can all make a difference.”
Her brother Omar is already looking ahead to the new academic year, where he plans to take the clean-up initiative to his school campus.
“I want to make sure no one throws rubbish on the ground in school,” he said. “We will put up signs, talk to our classmates, and tell them it’s easy to help. Even small things make a big difference.”
Urbaser Bahrain officials echoed the sentiment, pledging to support the siblings’ wider campaigns with logistical assistance and awareness materials, while the Southern Municipality confirmed it would explore ways to integrate their efforts into ongoing public hygiene programmes.
With their dream gifts in hand, smiles on their faces and the full support of their community behind them, Rahaf, presented with a ‘surprise gift’ in the form of a delightful doll to be opened once she got home, and Omar, the proud owner of a new bike, are now more determined than ever to inspire their peers and lead the next generation of environmental stewards in Bahrain.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))