All the nations in the world are now united in recognising and confronting environmental disasters including climate change that is affecting all kinds of life on this earth. And taking action to tackle these disasters is the only option that we have to save our planet. The reason that human activities are mainly responsible for these disastrous changes, we as nations and individuals have to take responsibility to observe, understand, learn and be aware of our actions and their impacts on the different environments in which we live.
Somalia is one of places where people are directly affected by climate change and environmental degradation because droughts have become a constant threat to the lives of the people and their livestock in recent times. The current human activities which are destroying the local environment are unmeasurable. Cutting trees for charcoal for domestic consumption in cities and exportation is widespread, but no one is addressing to stop it. The other destruction is the level of plastic waste, mainly water bottles and plastic carrying bags that are littered everywhere beyond comprehension. People use plastic shopping bags to take milk and cooked food, such as hot takeaway foods for human- consumption without concern or awareness of health risks. Aheads intends to work with schools, other local NGOs and local people to highlight environmental concerns and the collective actions to address them.
We want to introduce environmental public education and literacy programmes at schools and make regular radio broadcasts about the environment. We need to educate young people about the impact of climate change and environmental degradation and how it affects their lives. It is not only the belief system of the people, their behaviour, low level of literacy and the nomadic lifestyle that are the root causes for not being able to grasp the concept of environmental protection and climate change. But for the majority of the Somali people, like many other societies, other immediate concerns are at the forefront of their minds, such as personal safety and security, where the next meal is coming from for their families, homelessness, diseases, lack of education and the absence of a government that provides fatal services for its citizens. In other words, their everyday struggle to survive in very harsh living conditions is what people would put first over thinking about looking after their environment on which their livelihoods and improving their living conditions depend. Despite such a bleak reality, doing nothing is not an option. We should remain hopeful and do whatever we can as a global community to improve people’s lives as we speak and educate them about their environment.
Protect the enviroment by empower people, inform them and help them understand that these resources are their own, that they must protect them.
