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One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
That was the message at the 2nd annual provincial environmental awareness training camp at Dumani Primary School in Motherwell recently.
The six-day camp was organised by the Masazi Environmental Society, and funded by Volkswagen SA and EnviroServ.
It involved 95 youngsters from nine schools in Motherwell, Kwazakhele and other areas around Nelson Mandela Bay.
Masazi means “let us know”, and environmental knowledge and know-how was the mainstay of the camp.
Masazi founder Wandisile Lukwe said the participants tackled various issues but waste and recycling was what really grabbed their attention.
He said this was partly because it was such a visible issue, with litter and illegal dumping an overwhelming and ugly presence in Bay townships and the peri-urban fringe.
“The practical aspect of cleaning up and then sorting the waste to extract the recyclables also helped explain the issues to them.
“During our cleanup, we collected 192 municipal refuse bags of rubbish, and that gave the children a sense of how serious this kind of pollution is.
“We then worked with Wessa [Wildlife & Environment Society of SA] and EnviroServ, who taught the learners how long some of this waste takes to disintegrate, and what materials can be extracted to sell on to recycling companies.
“We also learnt from Noziqhamo Recycling how to make various items from recyclables such as hats, mats and handbags.”
A number of other stakeholders also supported the enviro-camp, including the Eastern Cape agriculture department, which taught the children about soil preparation and food gardening.
The department supplied the meals throughout the camp.
Another stakeholder, the Sustainable Seas Trust, explained the issue of marine pollution and EnviroServ Waste Management challenged the children to get involved in the global Plastic Free July campaign by eliminating the use of single-use plastics such as shopping bags, ear buds, polystyrene containers and sauce sachets.
The campaign calls on citizens to reduce overall plastic waste taken to landfills by cutting out things like cooldrink bottles.
Lukwe said the metro’s environmental education unit supported the camp, with the focus on wild plants and animals and protected areas.
“We also had Mo Jazz Kids, who focused on gender-based violence awareness and child protection.
“While this was not an environmental issue, many of our kids come from troubled homes so it is a real part of their ‘environment’, and this was an opportunity to integrate teaching on that as well.”
Lukwe said the Masazi programme continued after the camp and the children were expected to present what they had learnt to the pupils and teachers who had not been able to participate.
“We will also be checking up on them to see if Masazi’s food gardening and recycling lessons are being implemented.”
Oyenkosi Ntshudu, 12, from Seyisi Primary, said she had loved the camp.
“I don’t want to go home because I know there are lots of chores waiting for me. Here we just learnt and had fun.”
Athule Dyani, 12, a pupil at Dumani Primary, said he had enjoyed the recycling part of the programme the most.
“I learnt a lot.”
Oyisa Booi, 12, from Fumisukoma Primary, said she had learnt that littering was bad.
“There are people who throw litter around and I will be trying to stop them.”
Lukwe said his intention was to spread the camp, which launched in 2025, across the Eastern Cape and then the country.
“It is a gradual process but the kids are learning and their environmental awareness and knowledge is changing for the better.”
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