JEFFREYS BAY – At just 16 years old, Leah Schofield has sparked a movement that is slowing traffic and bringing the community together in Paradise Beach.
While visiting her grandparents in Paradise Beach earlier this year, Leah couldn’t help but notice how cars were speeding through the area, often unaware of the life that exists beyond their windscreens.
Along the roadside, she began seeing the heartbreaking result of this: local wildlife that hadn’t made it across in time. As a passionate animal lover, the concern stayed with her.
“I wanted to be a voice for the voiceless,” Leah shared.
She decided to take action while here on holiday, and she created a handmade poster reminding drivers to slow down for wildlife and shared a photo of it on the Paradise Community WhatsApp group. What happened next exceeded anything she could have imagined.
The community immediately embraced the idea, and residents and visitors alike fell in love with the initiative. What started as one young girl’s concern quickly grew into a shared mission, with people of all ages wanting to get involved.
The idea soon evolved into a road sign competition encouraging children, young people and adults to create their own posters reminding drivers to slow down for wildlife.
The competition is open to all Paradise Beach residents and visitors, welcomes all ages, allows unlimited entries, and runs until 22 December, with signs needing to be removed by 12 January.
Entries are shared on the Paradise Community WhatsApp group, where further details are also available.
Leah says the response has been incredibly uplifting. “It feels so wholesome to see how everyone has banded together,” she said. “I can already see a difference in how people are driving.”
Beyond raising awareness about speeding, the initiative has strengthened the sense of connection within the Paradise Beach community, proving that meaningful change can begin with one simple act of care.
Looking ahead, Leah hopes the project will continue to grow.
One of her dreams is to turn it into an annual December tradition, possibly even creating a scavenger hunt where families can spot the posters and learn more about the animals that call Paradise Beach home.
Leah Schofield has shown that you’re never too young to make a difference and that slowing down can save lives.
