Miss Earth regional finalist gives back
Miss Earth regional finalist, Lara Botha donated plants and vegetables to two local schools.
KwaZulu-Natal’s Miss Earth regional finalist Lara Botha (23) donned her gardening gloves and got up to her elbows in compost to help two local schools go green.
The Westville resident, helped build a vegetable garden at Lyndhurst Primary School in New Germany and donated 8 trees to Kwamyeza Primary School in the Mpumalanga Township in Hammarsdale as part of her pursuit of the “crown with a cause”.
The project aims to educate pupils about the benefits of planting their own food gardens and inspiring them to plant their own gardens at home. Compost specialists, Farmyard Organics came on board and donated 50 bags of their premium compost and their premium kraal manure towards the project.
The aspiring conservationist showed Lyndhurst Primary School Grade 4 pupils how to plant and care for the vegetables.
“I hope the children enjoy the garden and enjoy looking after it. This project teaches them that in order for things to flourish and do well, they need to be looked after and maintained. Gardening may take a bit of patience while you wait for things to grow, but hopefully they will learn that they can really benefit from planting their own food,” said Lara.
At Kwamyeza Primary, Lara planted a second food garden before including Grade 7 pupils in the planting of 8 indigenous trees around their bare school grounds.
Her third venture will be to plant another 8 trees at Hayfields Primary School in Pietermaritzburg. Botha’s donation will provide much needed shade for the pupils at this brand new school. Farmyard Organics will once again assist by providing kraal manure – an excellent growing medium for trees, as well as additional compost to the garden.
“We at Farmyard Organics are always keen to get behind people who are trying to make a difference. We wish Lara all the best in the competition,” said owner of Farmyard Organics, John Kidger.
Lara grew up in Pinetown and attended Lyndhurst Primary School and Kloof High School before studying a BSc in Environmental Management. Her love and passion for the environment and especially for animals motivated her to enter the Miss Earth South Africa competition.
“Miss Earth gives girls like me a great platform to do hands on work in our communities, which is the only way to really make a difference,” she said.
Finalists from each province will be announced on 12 June and from there they will take part in various greening and community projects around the country in search of the new Miss Earth South Africa.
