WESSA’s World Wildlife Day challenge to Durban South pupils
Local schools were invited to experience a unique environmental education programme to celebrate World Wildlife Day.
PUPILS from Durban South schools including Bluff Christian Academy, Assegai Primary, Parsee Rustomjee Primary and Grosvenor Boys High School experienced a unique environmental education programme to celebrate World Wildlife Day on Saturday, 2 March.
The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa’s (WESSA) Treasure Beach educational centre on the Bluff played host to a rocky shores ecosystem challenge at Treasure Beach. Pupils explored the different sea creatures within the water close to the shore and simultaneously enjoyed first-hand experience of the harmful effects of water pollution on marine life.
Part of the programme was well suited for the young ones’ curious minds as it included educational exhibits displaying different experiments and information all aimed at focusing on life below water and marine species.
WESSA is affiliated with a number of organisations in its mission to protect and care for the environment including the United Nations, Youth Managers Foundation, Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, Department of Environmental Affairs, Durban Solid Waste and eThekwini Municipality.
United Nations Development Programme representative Rhulani Lehloka, said: “The importance of this event is that it speaks to the Sustainable Development Goal 14 which is all about increasing awareness and protecting life underwater. Engaging the youth around this goal is of great importance because once they understand what impact pollution has on societies and be actively involved in bringing about positive change, the youth can further educate misinformed older people and younger people.”
WESSA invited members from the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, which works closely with local schools. The foundation’s Alice Moyo said such events are important because they afford pupils an opportunity to have practical learning in addition to the theory they learn about in the classroom. “Many of these children may already have been told they need to protect the environment, but through such initiatives, they are able to see why they actually need to do so,” she added.
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