It is sad to know that formerly beautiful beaches with golden sand now face a threatened fate. Waves no longer bring only shells and seaweeds to the shores; now heaps of plastic bottles, sacks, and trash threaten to snuff out the breathing beauty of the coastlines.
Marine creatures, like turtles and fish, pay the price of pollution for mistaking plastic waste for food. Locals and fishermen depending on the ocean for their livelihood, don’t see this influx of pollution as an environmental issue but as a personal concern.
One man has chosen not to watch. Abdisataar Arabow is pulling up on the beach every Friday and volunteers are joining him, putting on gloves and armed with rubbish bags. Their task is simple, yet powerful: to clean the shores and inspire change. Every bottle picked is a concession for one piece of Somalia’s natural heritage. More than just a clean-up, their endeavors offer a clarion call to the local community. Abdisataar appeals to neighbors, youths, and friends to rethink their ways; instead of throwing, begin to reuse, and embrace and care for the invaluable environment that keeps all of them alive.