A press release on the participation of the Environmental Protection Unit of SORD in the tourism festival of the Melhan Nature Reserve in Al Mahwit Governorate.
Represented by its Environmental Protection Unit, Sanid Organization for Relief and Development (SORD) actively participated in the seven-days activities of the Tourism Festival of Malhan Protected area on September 30 in order to achieve its goals by contributing to the preservation of biological diversity throughout the Republic of Yemen. This event takes place at a dramatic time when our country is facing the evils of the ongoing armed conflict and war which directly and significantly affected the Yemeni environment. Many environmental habitats have been damaged and many natural resources have been depleted. Hence comes importance of the Environmental Protection Unit of SORD to find every occasion and event to deliver its mission and work to raise community awareness of the local population and highlight the importance of preserving natural resources. SORD had the honor to participate in the Tourism Festival of Malhan Reserve, along with the Public Authority of Environmental Protection represented by Al Mahwit Governorate branch.
At the beginning of the festival, working papers were reviewed on ways to diagnose the current situation of the surrounding environment and the absurd acts from which it suffers due to the unjust logging that almost eliminates the plant wealth as a result of the lack of household gas and its high unaffordable cost. The pressure on wild animals and birds has also increased, either by hunting or trading and selling them in the local markets and/or in the neighboring countries. The heavy floods seen in the governorate also affected the great deterioration of the soil and agricultural terraces.
After that, a photo exhibition was held for a week in one of the public squares in the city of Al Mahwit. The exhibition showed the aesthetic aspects, the density of vegetation cover and the environmental sensitivity of the area. Environmental models were also presented with an elaborate creativity for a group of girls with special care with physical disabilities and how to transform waste into antiques and gifts and transform them from a negative, harmful form of the environment into a positive and beneficial form that can be used. Many handicrafts that simulate the cultural heritage of the region were also displayed, and a charity bazaar was established whose proceeds is going to support associations that care for people with special needs. In addition, a video was shown to introduce many methods and approaches that can raise the skills of women in the region with the aim of activating their role and encouraging halal earnings, leading to family self-sufficiency.
In addition, the Environment Unit of SORD has participated in the field visits and distributed many targeted brochures and booklets that would contribute to raising community awareness of the importance of preserving the environment in all its components