Somali university students are drawing on Radio Ergo’s environment and climate change programmes to expand their understanding of the issues and complement their own studies.
Students in the Faculty of Geosciences and Environment at Almaas university in Mogadishu share the radio programmes within their student WhatsApp group and use them for discussion in their classes.
Mohamed Mohamud Hassan, who is a second year student taking a BSc in environmental science and climate change, said the weekly programmes aired on Thursdays had become must-listen radio shows for his cohort of 41 students.
“One of my classmates informed us about the programme, explaining that it airs weekly on Radio Ergo. I decided to listen the following week and found it very beneficial as it addressed issues I was keen to learn about. I shared the programme with my classmates and soon we all started listening together regularly because it closely aligns with our field of study.
When we miss an episode, we download the programme from the website. Our class has a WhatsApp group where we share it with one another. Afterwards we discuss and take notes on the key points during our class sessions,” Mohamed told Radio Ergo.
The students say the topics presented by experts in the radio programmes in addition to the experts’ responses to listeners’ questions provide valuable perspectives on their studies.
A recent episode of the programme on the role and impact of Somali wildlife on the environment and climate change was particularly popular among the students.
“I viewed wildlife simply as animals in the wilderness, not realising their influence on the environment and climate change. This perspective changed after listening to the programme as I understood the significant role wildlife plays,” Mohamed said.
“I used to think that climate change was mainly influenced by winds and other weather factors. However, now I understand that it also affects humans, plants, and wildlife. All these aspects were entirely new to me. My comprehension has grown considerably, and I can say that I know a lot more about climate change today than I did when I initially chose to study it.”
Topics aired about deforestation and the impact on the environment and climate have led the students to develop an appreciation for trees and to actively promote awareness around the need to plant and protect trees.
The students also value the contextualisation of the topics covered by Radio Ergo, with Somali experts analysing local challenges in different regions of the country and explaining questions posed by listeners living in rural areas.
“If the programme’s duration could be extended it would be great because we need more time to benefit from it, considering how much we have already gained,” said Mohamed.
