MASIFUNDE Learner Development, supported by the SA Climate Change Champions, conducted a community clean-up in Walmer Township on September 17.
The clean-up started at the Walmer High School gate and proceeded to a second stop outside the Gqeberha Clinic in Yoyo Street, followed at the third stop at the Walmer taxi rank and ending at the Masifunde Changemaker Academy in Witbooi Street.
The community clean-up coincided with World Clean-up Day. Two other organisations joined on the day, namely the Catwalk Youth Development Agency and The Retrade Project.
Lusanda Msebi, founder of the Catwalk Youth Development Agency, and Lyall Clarke, a volunteer at The Retrade Project, reiterated the significance of the clean-up by educating members of the community with the categories of recycling.
“We are here to basically provide all the serving volunteers a bit of background about recycling, what categories we use to recycle at the Retrade Project and help ensure that we pick up the right products. We normally work with eight categories but today we focus on three for the clean-up – plastic, mixed paper and aluminium cans,” said Clarke.
The SA Climate Change Champs initiative is working with various organisations in Gqeberha. This climate change project, co-funded by the European Union and Friedrich Naumann Foundation, and implemented by GreenCape, is building capacity in a core group of civil society organisations and community-based organisations to train high school teachers, students and community organisations about climate change adaptations, embedded in caring for the environment, and the economic relevance of renewable energy.
“Initiatives such as this one are important for three reasons. Firstly, they are good for the environment; they prevent the landfills from being filled up. The second is that you are recycling products that can be used to manufacture, produce, make or be a part of making other products, so that creates employment opportunities and revenue stream. Lastly, it is good for mitigating climate waste impact which can sometimes end-up being burnt and increase carbon pollution as a consequence,” Clarke said.
“My message to other young people is that, even if you are a polluter, you can still change. I was once not informed about climate change challenges but as soon as I learned how it affects the planet, I also changed. We have campaigns at school every Friday where we clean and attend programmes that teach us to be change-makers,” said Palesa Ramokoena, a Grade 11 learner at Walmer High School.
Masifunde provides educational support in a holistic and sustainable manner to more than 450 motivated school-going learners from Walmer Township.
Their programmes include academic support, social assistance, life skills training and extra-curricular activities in the arts, media and sport.
Asked whether people in the community are aware of climate change and renewable energy, Buhle Manensa, a Grade 9 learner at Victoria Park High School, said, “I do not think so but now that I participate in the Masifunde programmes I believe it is my job to start doing more campaigning like this. It starts with me. I am learning a lot about climate change and renewable energy, so I will also share the knowledge in my circle.”
During the course of the week, from September 12 to 17, Masifunde ran educational programmes aimed at raising awareness about renewable energy and climate change adaptation. There was also a flash mob drive that featured a musical and performance piece about the topic which took place at Walmer High School.
Visit https://saclimatechamps.co.za to nominate a #SAClimateChangeChamp so that their stories can be celebrated.
– ISSUED BY THULA ZONDI (COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER) ON BEHALF OF GREENCAPE
