Maydi Newsletter: December 2025
Salaam everyone!
As 2025 comes to a close, we would like to thank you for reading, engaging with, and supporting the Maydi Newsletter throughout the year. Your continued interest and participation have been central to the conversations we have shared and the community we continue to build.
As always, thank you for reading!
Chief Editor: Medina Abdirashid Ali
The year began in London with reflection and reconnection. Members of the S4S team came together with community supporters to look back on the journey so far and to consider how the organisation’s work could continue to grow with intention. These early gatherings reaffirmed the importance of grounding climate action in community dialogue, shared values, and collective learning.
As the months progressed, S4S deepened its focus on knowledge sharing and professional engagement. Team members contributed to conversations on water scarcity, carbon finance, and sustainability careers, linking global climate challenges to lived experiences within the Somali community. Representation at the UNFCCC mid year climate negotiations by Associate General Secretary Sumaya Mohammed, alongside the delivery of a learning session with Transport for London by members of the S4S team, reflected a growing confidence in bringing Somali perspectives into institutional and policy adjacent spaces.
Community engagement beyond the UK also became a stronger feature of S4S’s work. Gatherings such as the Toronto event, delivered in collaboration with Somali Professionals Toronto, created space for diaspora led discussions on conscious consumption and everyday climate responsibility. These moments reinforced the role of the Somali diaspora in shaping climate narratives that connect individual choices with broader environmental outcomes.
The final months of the year brought a renewed focus on education, faith, and global advocacy. Climate literacy workshops rooted in culture and lived experience highlighted the importance of accessible learning spaces that resonate with community knowledge and identity. In November, Somalis for Sustainability was present at COP30, ensuring Somali perspectives were represented within global climate discussions. Engagement at COP30 focused on amplifying community voices, building connections with civil society organisations, and reinforcing the importance of inclusive climate solutions that reflect lived realities in the Horn of Africa and the diaspora.
That same month, Somalis for Sustainability was invited to a parliamentary event at the House of Commons titled “Rooted in Faith, Rising for Justice: COP30, Muslim Communities and the Climate Crisis”. Hosted by Islamic Relief UK in partnership with the APPG on Environment and Afzal Khan MP, the event brought together parliamentarians, environmental experts, civil society organisations, and grassroots groups. S4S Director Amin attended on behalf of the organisation, contributing to discussions that explored how climate impacts intersect with wider social and economic challenges facing Muslim communities in the UK and globally. The conversation emphasised the importance of collaboration with mosque leaders, elders, community organisations, and young people, and reinforced a core principle of S4S’s work, that meaningful climate action requires both political advocacy and strong grassroots mobilisation working together.
In 2025, the Maydi Newsletter also evolved through the launch of special themed editions. These editions created space to explore specific topics in greater depth and to centre voices with direct expertise and lived experience.
One special edition focused on housing in the region, examining how climate, design, and the built environment intersect. This edition featured an interview with Architectural Assistant Bihi Mohamed, offering insight into regional housing challenges, climate responsive design, and the importance of locally informed approaches to sustainable development. We look forward to sharing more special editions in the future, each focusing on different themes that reflect the priorities and realities of Somali communities.
Throughout the year, each edition of the Maydi Newsletter closed with a Word of the Month. This feature supported readers in building familiarity with sustainability language and concepts, recognising that shared understanding is essential for meaningful climate engagement. Over time, these words collectively contributed to strengthening climate literacy within the S4S community, reinforcing the idea that language can be a powerful tool for learning, inclusion, and confidence.
As we close out the year, 2025 stands as a period of learning, connection, and steady progress. With the S4S Impact Report for 2025 set to be released in mid January, we look forward to sharing a deeper reflection on the year and the path ahead. Thank you, as always, for reading and for being part of the Somalis for Sustainability journey.
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