ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2021
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. In 2021, over 25,000 young leaders on 2,000+ campuses across 153 nations applied to join the Class of 2021. 136 campuses worldwide (just 6%) were selected to host the 2,000+ Millennium Fellows. The Class of 2021 is bold, innovative, and inclusive.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT JIMCALE A FAARAH, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2021.
African Leadership University | Kigali, Rwanda | Advancing SDG 13 & UNAI 9
" Never underestimate the power of youth. They could make mountains move if given the proper support and mentorship. I'm an agent of change, and my mission is to see a world free of waste plastics, where people, marine animals, and livestock enjoy their environment. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: Plastic Venture
Nigeria is an endemic area for malaria as it is
a tropical disease.
According to the 2019 World Malaria Report,
Nigeria had the highest number of global
malaria cases (25% of global malaria cases) in
2018 and accounted for the highest number of
deaths (24% of global malaria deaths). Malaria
has been a key disease of poverty and was
singled out for special attention in the
millennium project of 2000.
The project, LARIAS HEALTH INITIATIVE is
aimed at addressing the morbidity and
mortality rate of malaria in high-risk population
groups particularly among the children under
5years of age and pregnant women.
This project entails sensitizing them on its
prevention, symptoms, through health
outreaches and campaign, as well as media
publications.
About the Millennium Fellow
Jimcale is a 21-year-old fighting against plastic waste in his country of Somaliland.
He was born and raised in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Two years ago, he noticed plastic waste had become a major problem in his country, and no one was doing anything to improve it.
In 2019, Jimcale founded Plastic Venture – a recycling startup that turns plastic bags and bottles into paving blocks and face shields. Over the past years, Jimcale’s startup recycled over 2 million plastic waste that would otherwise end up polluting the planet.
As the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, Jimcale realized the need for high-quality, affordable masks to protect people in his country. Since most people in his community were living on low incomes, they had difficulty affording and accessing masks. Plastic Venture began to produce face shields using materials from recycled plastic bottles. So far, Plastic Venture has successfully delivered over 1 thousand face shields in his country.
Jimcale believes the safety of a face mask is a basic human right, so he plans to continue mask and shield production until everyone in Somaliland has one.
Ultimately, Jimcale envisions a country and a world free of plastic waste, where people and the planet’s animals live decently and safely.
Currently, Jimcale is working towards his International Business & Trade Degree at the University of African Leadership University in Rwanda. He will continue to grow Plastic Venture and raise awareness about plastic waste in Somaliland. He was recently selected to attend the Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition event organized by the Government of Italy, which will take place September 2021 in Milan.
