Magical Adventures for Kids to make every school holiday special
Influenced by her children's eagerness to learn and explore the environment, Paulina Moeng from Polokwane founded a school holiday programme called Magical Adventures for Kids through which she invites children to come and explore nature while learning about the environment.
POLOKWANE – She and her business partner, Betty Modiba, rolled out the programme last year and started at the Nylsvley Nature Reserve, a wetland preservation area between Mokopane and Modimolle. It is an internationally recognised Ramsar site in Limpopo.
They then moved on to the Makuya Nature Reserve.
“Every school holiday I take my children out on an adventure trip, and over the years I have noticed how easily they get bored by a place. This prompted me to take them to different locations each time to ensure they remain interested in learning about the environment, the different species of fauna and flora as well as the importance of conserving the environment. This way they also got to learn and explore the various nature reserves we have in Limpopo,” she said, adding they often asked if their friends can come along and that is how the initiative was born.
Moeng uses her knowledge to teach children from five to 18 years old fun facts and knowledge about the environment, because she says the environment is crucial to life, as not only humans depend on it but also the animals.
On their next trip, Paulina plans to take the children to Doorndraai Nature Reserve in Mokopane in September. Their parents will join them and they will have the opportunity to learn how to fish.
“The aim is to get the children off the couch and become active to acquire environmental knowledge and skills needed for survival such as making a fire and so forth. I would in the long run love to open a school, environmental school right here in Polokwane, where we target the youth and teach them about the environment, we have our own reserves where practicals can be rolled right here in the province,” she added.
