Seeding change in Children – Teaching young Somalis about Climate Change

Mohamed Farah Omar’s mission is “to build a future in which our children can live in a clean world with pure air”.

After completing a degree in environmental science he decided to put theory into action. He set up the Greenlight Association in 2018.

As the son of a prominent journalist, Mr Omar campaigns for the Somali media to take climate change and other environmental issues more seriously, and to report them in an accurate, balanced way. The Greenlight Association holds forums and training workshops for media workers to discuss and learn about environmental journalism.

The association also focuses on issues related to water, both in terms of highlighting the catastrophic consequences of recurring failed rains and advocating for the protection of Somalia’s rich marine resources.

“We educate the community about the dangers of cutting down trees for firewood and charcoal production,” says Mr Omar who fears that stripping the land of these precious resources might lead to short term profit for some but will soon destroy the already harsh environment nomadic and farming communities live in.

“We have to do this for our children’s future,” he says. “I have always loved green landscapes and want to make sure the next generation of Somalis can enjoy them too. Now that I have attained a level of maturity I have to stand up and volunteer to make our nation clean and sustainable.”