Somalia's beach clean-up group wins global Arab Volunteer Award

A youth beach clean-up volunteer group from Mogadishu won this year’s Arab Volunteer Award in Beirut, Lebanon after beating 80 other volunteer organisations from 22 Arab countries to clinch the coveted title for the first time in Somalia’s history.

Eng. Abdisatar Arabow, the group's team leader who attended the event received a standing ovation from a packed hall as he walked to the stage to receive the trophy.

The winning group known as Beach Clean-Up and Public Awareness Campaign collects garbage mostly plastic every Friday from Mogadishu’s popular Lido Beach.

They have so far collected over two million kilogrammes of dirt from the beach since the start of their campaign three years ago.

Members of the Beach Clean-Up and Public Awareness Campaign at Mogadishu's Lido Beach.

The group has over 100 active members from a pool of 1,000 registered volunteers who comprise mostly the youth.

In an exclusive interview with The Eastleigh Voice on phone from Beirut, Abdisatar said he is elated their hard work and dedication have been recognised and vowed the group will continue with their beach clean-up campaign until they rid Lido Beach and its surroundings of plastics and other refuse that wreak havoc to the environment.

Eng. Abdisatar Arabow, the Beach Clean-Up and Public Awareness Campaign team leader at the Arab Volunteer Award in Beirut, Lebanon.

Inspire youth back home

“We dedicate this trophy to all volunteers in Somalia and the world and all Somali people across the world. Our country rarely wins such international trophies, so we are extremely proud that our humble act of cleaning our beach has brought this fame to our country and people and we hope our win will inspire more youth back home to work even harder,” Abdisatar said.

He said their cleaning exercise has helped change the face of Lido Beach which now attracts more people including tourists and that the well-deserved recognition celebrates the dedication and the crucial efforts of the young volunteers in protecting marine life and maintaining clean beaches for all visitors to enjoy the flora and fauna.

A member of the Beach Clean-Up and Public Awareness Campaign at Mogadishu's Lido Beach.

“The millions of kilogrammes we have so far collected are mostly plastic which as you know does not decompose. Plastic is the biggest polluter of the environment in Somalia and elsewhere in the world and we urge our people to stop throwing plastic waste, especially in the sea. Our weekly clean-up exercise has changed the scenery at Lido and we now even have increased tourists,” he added.

Abdisatar warned his countrymen against littering the environment, especially with plastic.

“A research we did last month shows Somali families each use 1,500 plastics per year and use it for a maximum of only five minutes after which they throw it away not knowing the damage it does to their environment, health, marine life, and the country’s beauty. We urge our people to stop littering the environment with them,” he said.

A member of the Beach Clean-Up and Public Awareness Campaign at Mogadishu's Lido Beach.

Abdisatar says they plan to expand their beach clean-up exercise to cover the entire Mogadishu city coastline as well as create synergies with like-minded clean-up volunteer groups to encourage the culture of volunteerism among the youth as well as instil the love for the environment for better health.

Somalia has one of the longest coastlines in Africa, with over 3,000 kilometres of long turquoise-blue sandy pristine beaches that are mostly untapped. The country has a huge tourism potential as well as a rich marine resource.

The Arab Volunteer Award aims to spread and enhance the culture of volunteer work and stimulate creative initiatives and distinctive volunteer experiences in the Arab world, in addition to highlighting the honourable models of volunteer work leaders and inspiring success stories for the younger generation.

Eng. Abdisatar Arabow, the Beach Clean-Up and Public Awareness Campaign team leader at the Arab Volunteer Award in Beirut, Lebanon.