SOME fantastic steps were taken in Apollo Estate on Friday, as community members and people associated with Gawad Kalinga, a group who's motto is "Building Communities to end Poverty", began a clean-up in the much maligned area.
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The clean-up work in Apollo Estate is the first time Gawad Kalinga has taken on a project in Australia, and it will be used as a pilot case, so if successful, other projects will be taken on.
Gawad Kalinga was formally established in 2003, but people were working with the organisation in areas of poverty in the Phillipines as early as 1994.
It has since expanded to work in more than 2000 communities on other countries including Cambodia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Gawad Kalinga spokesperson, Stan Donnelly, believes the cleaning up of Apollo Estate is a really positive thing for the area.
"This is all about empowering people to help themselves and not rely on outside resources," Mr Donnelly said.
"It helps people to become self reliant and take control of their own futures.
"This cleaning up will really help build community spirit and build Apollo into something to be proud of."
Apollo Estate resident, Nicole Edwards, who has lived in Aldrin Avenue on and off for the last 10 years, was ecstatic with the work that was being done.
"It is really positive to see this work being done and I hope the whole estate gets cleaned up," Ms Edwards said.
"It will help to build the community and make people proud of the area, as opposed to just ignoring the problem or moving the problem.
"It didn't fix the problem when they moved people from west Dubbo to here so its better to put the work in and fix it."
