School children get involved in the fight against rhino poaching

In their quest to get more schools and school children involved in the 1 000 000 Footprints to Save Africa Campaign, the One More Generation (OMG) took 18 school children from around Nkomazi to tour Kruger National Park on Saturday.

This follows tireless work of getting the schools together and creating the awareness to try and reach the whole of Nkomazi for two weeks.

“We wanted this not to be formal education and leave it at that, we had to take them to see the real thing in the Park and get to realize what we are really talking about, and for them to have some fun while they are learning,’ said Velile Mabaso of Nkomazi FM, who is also the Media Liaison for the campaign organization in the area.

Although minor setbacks were experienced as this campaign was the first of its kind in the region, Velile says they hope to reach the whole of Nkomazi next time.

“We urge both the public and private sector to get involved in sponsoring such campaigns to push the awareness on endangered animals and help save them by teaching the next generation,” added the passionate Mabaso.

One of the partnered organizations was the Children 4 Conservation, founded by a 14-year-old Monique Theron.

“I have always loved nature, and it’s so painful to see animals going through tough times that can even result to their extinction, I have then decided to get my peers involved in the struggle to save them, and I am glad some of them are here today,” said Monique.

The campaign is seemingly here to stay as the next move involves dancers from Strictly Come Dancing.

“We want to get the children to love nature so they can take care of it, one cannot take care of what they do not love. The dancers will come down and teach the children how to dance and also create the awareness as they also are ambassadors of such,” said Sheila Bath from Dance to be Wild.

The campaign which now aims to cover the whole of Nkomazi, is determined to double their growth next year, and has planned out a huge celebration for Rhino Day this year.

“We are going to find a perfect spot just outside Kruger National Park to display the cloths with the million footprints from the different schools, we are also calling for sponsors to jump on board and spearhead the fight against Rhino poaching,” concluded Mabaso.