Goobjoog Media Group partners with Ubaxa Caasimadda to green Mogadishu

Goobjoog Media Group funded volunteer Youth named  Ubaxa Casimadda has launched an initiative to green the major streets of Mogadishu, the first of a kind since the collapse of government in 1991.

The initiative come from Somali Youth group Ubaxa Caasimadda and Goobjoog Media Group decide to fund, which is part of the Group’s corporate social responsibility is aimed at planting hundreds of trees along the streets of Mogadishu.

The first phase of the project started this week along Maka al Mukarama road where dozens of volunteers clad in Goobjoog Media Group branded t-shirts and caps took part in the exercise.

Mogadishu and Somalia at large have over the years lost vegetation and forest cover owing to many years of destruction and neglect.

Somalia exports millions of bags of charcoal to the Middle East annually and experts have warned this trend is already posing threats to the country’s food security and subjecting millions to adverse climate change conditions.

Last year alone an estimated 1.7 million people were directly affected by draught and subsequent floods which hit the central  and northern regions including Puntland and Somaliland. Out of these, close to 400,000 faced acute food security, aid agencies said.

In a bid to avert these effects, Goobjoog Development and Environmental Care Network (DGEN) and Ubaxa Caasimadda, a young volunteers club seeks to make Mogadishu green through the tree planting initiative.

“We have been working on this project alone but with the entry of Goobjoog Environment department, we are sure of making Mogadishu green and more conducive to live in,” said Mohamed Mohamud Ahmed, one of the lead volunteers in the project.

Ahmed called on the residents of the city to take part in the project, which is an essential activity that helps to keep areas around the streets green.

“Since the project is a plan to beautify the city, there is responsibility on everybody to take part,” noted Ahmed.

Goobjoog Media Group director Hassan Mohamud Mohamed said the plan is to make the city attractive and green by planting trees alongside the roads and streets.

He underscored that Goobjoog Media Group will work hand in hand with the young volunteers who have taken it upon themselves to make Mogadishu green and beautiful.

“Our environmental department is closely working with the club who wants the project to show other people the positive side and that the town has its own people who care greatly,” said Mr. Mohamed.

Government officials have lauded the initiative noting it would encourage other citizens to participate in useful developmental projects and shows that if Somalis work together they can be self-reliant.

Abdiaziz district commissioner, Osman Muhudin Ali who participated in the planting of the trees said such citizens driven initiatives exemplified creativity and patriotism which can be harnessed to rebuild the country.