Mogadishu – A group of students from Somali National University (SNU) took part in a study visit to the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) waste management yard and the wastewater treatment plant in Mogadishu, to learn how the UN manages waste and protects the environment.

The 20 undergraduate students of public health at the country's only public university, were taken on a guided tour of the facilities to learn hands-on skills for handling solid and liquid waste. The visit organised by the UNSOS Environment Unit in coordination with SNU, connected the students’ classroom learning with the real-life experience in public health and environmental science.

At the waste management yard and wastewater treatment plant, the students learned how to manage waste, including sorting, solid waste treatment using incinerators, composting of food waste, and recycling of glass and plastic materials. In addition, students were introduced to aerobic wastewater treatment processes that produce effluent suitable for various non-potable applications, including irrigation and dust control.

For Yusuf Hared Abdi, who is in his final year of public health, the visit was a chance to see firsthand waste management operations, deepen his understanding, and contribute to protecting the environment.

“We have studied waste management in theory, but not practically. Today we experienced how waste is managed in real life, and we would like to see such practices expanded within the city,” said Abdi, who described the visit as highly instructive.

Another final year student, Fardowsa Adan Kuulle, said she learned about the importance of recycling and how it benefits society. She saw workers sorting, treating, and recycling waste at the waste management yard and the wastewater treatment plant.

“I have learned that waste can be recycled and reused instead of simply being thrown away. I hope we can promote recycling across our country, and I believe that with commitment, we can succeed,” she said.

Denis Odur, a foreman with Ecolog, a company contracted by UNSOS, said proper waste management is essential for environmental protection.

“We manage waste to prevent pollution of water and air and to protect the community. The students were particularly interested in seeing the end products of plastic recycling, such as roofing and paving tiles,” Odur said.

Mohamed, UNSOS Environmental Affairs Officer, said that UNSOS has trained a total of 60 students from the Somali National University on waste management and environmental protection. The students were divided into three groups of 20 participants each, and today’s session concludes the programme with the final group of 20 students.

“The aim of this programme is to empower and train local university students on environmental protection and waste management. They have studied the theory in class, but here they are seeing first-hand how waste is disposed of, treated and recycled,” Mohamed said.

In line with the Environmental Policy for UN Field Missions, UNSOS recycles and treats its waste within the mission area to minimize its environmental footprint and to safeguard the health and well‑being of host communities.

The UNSOS waste management yard in Mogadishu receives about 6 tonnes of solid waste per day from 45 locations within the UNSOS and the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) area. The wastewater treatment plant treats between 180 and 250 cubic metres of wastewater daily, and the recycled water is reused.