Keeping Abou Samra Olives Clean

Environmental civilisation is crucial for the generations to inherit a clean environment, but are we really taking best care of it?

Olive fields saved by the youth

Abou Samra’s green field and olive trees got dirtier the more people went there for picnics and walks, so a group of volunteers decided to go there daily to clean up the place, and the municipality joined soon after. Tripoli’s sea and olive fields are the city’s main attraction, and the absence of environmental consciousness is the root of the problem.

From one volunteer to a group of four

Amer started cleaning on his own because he loved his city, its trees and its olive fields which are filled constantly with bugs and garbage. His daily initiative was published o Facebook, and within a few weeks, two more volunteers joined, and they became the small group of volunteers that’s cleaning Abou Samra.

It’s tiring when I pick up what they threw away

What’s amazing is the effort and realization despite the young age. These teenagers are doing what politicians and grownups aren’t. They are correcting the faults of those grownups and their families who are all resting in the shade of those trees. They begin working at 6 AM and stop at 8 AM, with encouragement and discouragement from various people on social media: some tell them that their efforts are in vain and garbage will still pile up, and others salute their care and maturity. One of those volunteers sent out a message to people who are leaving their garbage behind. “I’m tired of picking up the things you throw, please stop it,” she said.

Encouraging and discouraging, but will they continue?

Tripoli is the city of culture and education, it was called Al Fayhaa which signified the beautiful smell of its orange trees. Nowadays, Tripoli smells of garbage due to the ignorance of its people. This individual initiative coming from teenagers who dream of a better Tripoli is an act of kindness and nobility; they are cleaning their city to preserve it for themselves, the upcoming generation, and the visitors whom they hope would take care of the environment and olive fields of Abou Samra.