Taking care of our planet

Mon, 21 December 2009

We spoke to Mbali Dlamini, a Grade 7 learner at Sifisesihle Primary School in the Midlands - KwaZulu Natal. Mbali is a youth leader in the eco-schools project at her school. Another school in the area - Dargle Primary - plan to implement the same project next year. This school has been chosen as a beneficiary for this year's Make Christmas Matter campaign. The campaign aims to raise funding to provide environment and conservation learning opportunities to 122 learners and 5 educators.

We catch Mbali running across from her classroom to deliver a message to the prinicipal. An enormous smile breaks over her face as she sees Nicky from the Midlands Meander Association Education Project (MMAEP). She readily agrees to talk about her involvement in the eco-schools project that she has been part of.

The eco-schools model MMAEP has been involved at Sifisesihle Primary School for the past four years, during which time the school has consistently achieved World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Eco-Schools status. The WWF programme provides a curriculum framework which can be adapted for different settings. MMAEP has been working successfully in schools across the Midlands area using facilitators to conduct practical environmental education sessions in the schools and to assist the schools to achieve Eco-Schools status. Youth representatives from each school registered in the Eco-Schools programme attend regular workshops with MMAEP. In order to build the skills of educators, MMAEP also co-facilitates monthly environmental education sessions with identified teachers at each school. Themes for these sessions are selected by the teachers to match current study topics.

Mbali forms part of a team of twelve youth representatives from her school. She’s quietly confident, an attentive listener who answers questions clearly and precisely. She speaks with enthusiasm about how she has learnt about climate change, keeping her school clean, recycling, good nutrition and how to make compost. When asked what the most important things are that she has learnt, she answers solemnly: “Midlands Meander have taught us about values and taking care of our environment. We should take care of our world because we are the future.”

Preparing the soil On the school grounds, lucky bean tree saplings planted on Arbor Day this year are protected from roaming goats with unusual fencing. The interlaced bars surrounding each tree have been recycled from old metal desk supports which have been given a second lease on life.

At the site on which the school’s food garden is planned for next year, compost made earlier in the year by the students has already been dug into the soil. A solitary fruit tree stands in the middle of the bed, awaiting next year’s growth and activity. Mbali is clearly sad that she won’t be able to work on the food garden at the school: “No, I am going to the high school next year. Midlands Meander is only working in the primary schools.”

Positive energy One might feel that it is unfortunate that Mbali will no longer be part of the MMAEP’s activities at Sifisesihle Primary School in the coming year. But revisiting MMAEP’s vision allows one to recognise the success she represents: “To help schools nurture capable, confident, curious children who are sensitive to environmental issues, who have the resilience to cope with a changing world and are able to contribute positively to their communities”. Mbali Dlamini is just such a child. She radiates positive energy and a belief in her own power to make a difference in the world.