Miss Earth finalist Lutholwethu Zinema spruced up Sparrow Schools in Melville by planting 20 ironwood trees on the borders of the school’s sports fields. Clearly unafraid of hard work, she then tackled the immense job of planting a large vegetable garden at the sister Sparrow School in Sophiatown on the same day.
“I’m here to teach the kids about World Environment Day. It’s important to honour this day,” she said. “We get so much from trees – we get food, knowledge and furniture, trees deserve a lot of love.”
This Free State beauty currently lives in Randburg, working as a quantity surveyor, and admits she’s still trying to find her feet in the big city. “Johannesburg is scarily big and confusing,” she confided.
“But people here have been kind to me.”
She confessed that she wasn’t a gardening or agricultural expert, yet. “I’m competing in the Miss Earth competition because I have a love for charity work. There are schools out there where there’s only one pencil in every classroom. I want to change that. I want to go to these communities and make a difference. I love going to bed knowing I’ve made the world a better place, even if I’ve only given some children writing implements.”
She’s particularly passionate about helping children. “I love kids. If I won Miss Earth I would focus on children, and give to them.”
Zinema spent most of the day planting spinach, onions, carrots, beans and cabbage with the help of the Grade 5’s at the Sparrow School feeding scheme in Sophiatown.
“Everybody should plant their own food gardens,” she opined. “Food is never as fresh as it is from your garden.”
She even explained how to plant a tree. “You need to make a hole, fill it with compost, plant your seedling and then water it at least once a week,” she said earnestly.
She concluded by thanking all her sponsors ” I’m so greatful to them. Thank you so much all of you.”
