Clean City Initiative, AIESEC Take SDGs Awareness to UNIBEN

Staff and students of the University of Benin were recently thrilled as Clean City Initiative, in partnership with AIESEC in Benin, organised a Sustainable Development Goal campaign walk on the campus.

The walk was to sensitise the students on the 17 United Nations’ SDGs such as: no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, reducing inequality, climate action, among others.

Over 300 students, staff and notable individuals in the social impact space went around the campus with face painting, music and games, advocating for the SDGs.

It also involved dance displays by other student bodies as they went through various faculties and ended at the students’ halls of residence.

The participants took trash bags and sanitation items to help clean up the school premises during the walk.

A representative of the Edo State SDG Focal Office, Mr. Patrick Inyerhovwome, highlighted the importance of the awareness walk and thanked AIESEC in Benin for organising the event.
The founder of Clean City Initiative, Mr. Maliq Obaseki, also stressed the importance of recycling and its environmental impact.

He advised students to go into recycling, saying that an average student will make money from recycling plastic waste products.

The event brought together various student bodies such as the Junior chambers international (JCI), the Rotaracts, the Red Cross Society, Students Finance Club, Young African Leaders Initiative, among others.

Speaking at the end of the event, the Branch Director of Operations, AIESEC in Benin, Mr. Andrew Kintum, said it was a huge success.

He lauded the dedication of Clean City Initiative to eradicating the menace of plastic waste pollution and reducing the chances of severe flooding in Nigeria.

Kintum said the SDG walk was part of series of events held in the university and its environs.
Other events involved arming youths in underserved communities with skills, donating relief materials to the internally displaced persons camp, and a forum on the ‘Future of Work’.

He restated AIESEC’s commitment to enlightening and educating youths in Edo State, while promising that the SDG campaign won’t be the last in UNIBEN.

AIESEC is an international youth-run, non-governmental organisation that provides young people with leadership development, cross-cultural internships, and global volunteer exchange experiences.