Engaging Youth & Teachers in Eco-Conservation RSA

News and Reviews after Two Excursions in 2024

The two excursions this year (March and May) have been wonderful and interesting experiences for the learners on this project; this makes the Jonny Lowe Memorial Trust initiatives in YOUTH IN CONSERVATION so worthwhile. While the programme is seamless for the participants, much planning and preparation is carried out before each excursion.Thank you so very much for your generous donations that make these excusrsions possible.

Shirley W

MARCH 2024 EXCURSION

From the pen/computer of the Convenor of the excursions, Dr Peter A:

In order of action taken for this trip I thank Dave R, JLMT Ifa Lethu organizer, Mak K, able assistant, “braaimeester” and speaker, James K of Mearns Farm, Shaun R, a Treverton teacher, chaperone and constructive contributor,  and Frik L and Phineas N, Warden and Ranger at Weenen Nature Reserve respectively. Our fine team worked very well together.

It is several decades since I spent four consecutive days at over 36 degrees C with no fan or air conditioner! With scheduled breaks and regular hydration we managed.

It also became a weekend of biodiverse, high adventure when a Mozambique spitting cobra was found in the gents’ toilet. Mak, Shaun and I tried to prod it out of its crack but failed. With commendable gender equality it then moved to the ladies’ toilet. As it was late in the afternoon, we felt we could not leave it to perhaps greet people during the night. Frik sent people with snake catching tongs while I continued with the students. When they arrived, no member of the staff was willing to operate the tongs, so the intrepid Mak took matters in hand without interrupting me, captured the cobra and put it in a plastic crate I use for supplies for the trip. Mak had never captured a snake. He relied only on memory of You tube views of snake capture! Intrepid indeed!

Each of the 12 students graded their experiences during the excursion. Their marks were averaged and expressed as percentages:

Balance of talks, practical, problem solving, farm visit, game drives, solitude, walk        82%

Subject choice for presentations                                                                                             84%

Is no-till for the birds? Charlie M’s talk Presented by Peter  A                                             87%         

"The role of Hunting in Conservation?”, Mak K                                                                     97%

"Our Environmental Dilemma", Peter A                                                                                  83%

Mearns Farm Visit                                                                                                                     79%

Game drives, walks, firearm and equipment demonstration/talk Frik L and Phineas N                                                                                                                                                                                                            96%

Each pupil then prepares a report about the excursion they have experienced. The following are three from the March 2024 trip:

Sduduzo M

The JTML environmental excursion was truly eye-opening. I deeply appreciate the dedication of Dr A and Mak in fostering environmental awareness. The well-presented lectures provided valuable insights into the current state of our planet and the role future generations, like mine, will play in protecting it.

 I particularly enjoyed the game drives which offered the opportunity to learn about local flora, fauna, and Zulu history. Dr A's encouragement to explore these subjects further was commendable. The small group discussions allowed for insightful peer-to-peer exchanges.

 The programme significantly impacted my perspective on the future. Initially, the approaching challenges facing our environment caused concern. However, witnessing JTML's efforts towards youth education instilled a sense of hope and a newfound career aspiration: to leverage technology to address environmental issues and create sustainable solutions.

 On a personal level, I've begun implementing changes, such as minimizing water usage by not filling the kettle completely. This small step reflects a newfound commitment within our family to conserve resources.

 Overall, the programme was an enriching experience that provided a perfect platform for environmental knowledge acquisition and personal growth.

 In closing, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the entire JTML team for this incredible programme. The dedication of Dr A, Mak, and the other facilitators made this experience truly unforgettable.  Their passion for environmental education was inspiring, and the knowledge and skills gained will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping my future.

 Jonathan O

Overall, I loved the weekend, meeting new people and learning a lot of new things about nature. I truly learnt a lot and enjoyed the experience.

For me I enjoyed most of the talks. One that impacted me substantially was Dr Peter A’s talk about soil and the environment. This made me think about what and how I could impact the environment. As a person who goes hunting, the talk by Mac about hunting made me see hunting from another perspective that I haven't thought of before. I really enjoyed the first game drive with Frik who made me see and notice things I wouldn't usually notice in the wild.

I have re-thought my future. I love nature and being outdoors and I have been thinking about potentially doing something with the environment.

I have thought how I can make a difference in the current world around me; one of the things I am trying to implement is as a scout; I occasionally run community service projects such as cleaning rivers and removing alien invasive plants. I want to try and run a community service project once a month with scouts and after a while get more and more involved in it.

I think there should be another camp for those who were truly interested in the camp, this would give them the opportunity to learn more in different areas and be more involved in the camp as they are interested.

Lily C

It was an incredible experience being able to meet and interact with new people, the very informative and educational lectures presented with enthusiasm, and being able to connect with nature was wonderful.

The lecture on soil erosion was definitely informative and made me aware of the necessity that soil has in life; the veld walk helped to provide visual examples of its impact. The presentation on hunting had the most significant impact as, previously, I had believed that it was mostly wrong. By the end, I had developed a new understanding of hunting’s importance in certain situations.

In the future, I plan on going into Biochemistry. However, I hope to apply that qualification in ways to reduce the impact humans have on the environment such as micro-organisms to degrade toxins and microplastics in water sources as the experience highlighted the impact people have on the environment and how important it is to reduce this impact.

I am considering a stricter recycling regime at school and at home, as well as trying to grow vegetation in the areas of school that have become very barren.

May 2024 (led by Dee D and Mak K)

The scores in percentages as judges by the pupils were as follows:

Balance of theory and practical activities –                                90%

Balance of subject matter of the 3 talks –                                   85%

Conservation Economy (Lee F) –                                                 85%   

Hunting’s Role in Conservation (Mak K) –                                   95%

Farm Visit (James K) –                                                                   78%

Our Environmental Dilemma (Dee D) –                                         79%

Frik L and Sthabiso P Experience (Equipment, Game drives, Veld Walk, Interaction, etc.) –                                                                                                                                                         91%

Some of the short pupil reports are below: 

Lindo M

I think that the Ifa Lethu project is a great initiative. It gives us, the youth, an opportunity to learn about conserving while being in the wilderness. We get to see and experience what exactly it is we need to conserve, the beauty and importance of nature. I can’t express enough how amazing Dee and Makaira are. They were very knowledgeable and always encouraged us to ask questions and have different perspectives of looking at things. I hope many more people get to experience this project and it becomes bigger than what it is now. Thank you to the JLMT for allowing me to be part of the Ifa Lethu project.

Lihle C

As the Head of the Eco Club, I had the privilege of embarking on an environmental conservation tour along with two other members, Ntando Mayeza and Lindokuhle Mthethwa. This trip was an incredible opportunity for us to learn, grow, and connect with nature and like-minded individuals. 

- We gained a deeper understanding of environmental conservation and the importance of sustainable practices.

- We learned about the role of hunting in conservation efforts and the importance of ethical hunting practices.

- We witnessed incredible wildlife and ecosystems, including rhinos, zebras, and kudus.

- We had meaningful discussions during campfire sessions.

- We had quiet times, allowing us to connect with nature and ourselves.

- We met inspiring individuals like Mrs D who shared her wisdom and expertise in environmental conservation, school and life in general.

- We learned about the detrimental effects of poaching and how political parties often neglect the importance of environmental conservation. As Mrs D said it, "You can help the people, but without the environment, you don't have the people."

- We discovered fascinating facts about South Africa's natural resources, such as our largest export being soil and the Drakensberg region being our primary source of water.

- We developed a new appreciation for the diverse trees and plants that surround us.

For the Eco Club (Impact) 

- We returned with fresh ideas and inspiration to implement in our club activities and initiatives.

- We gained knowledge and skills to share with other club members, enhancing our collective impact.

- We are now more motivated than ever to continue promoting environmental conservation and sustainability in our school and community. 

I'm glad I had the pleasure of sharing this experience with Ntando M and Lindokuhle M. They both engaged fully with the group and respected the staff, demonstrating a positive and enthusiastic attitude throughout the trip. They were thrilled to be a part of this experience and made valuable contributions to our group discussions and activities. 

It was a pleasure to hear from the legendary Mrs D that our group was extraordinary in terms of bonding and camaraderie. We connected from the start, and she never had any issues with our phones as we were never on them and engaged fully. 

This trip was an unforgettable experience that has reignited my passion for environmental conservation. I am eager to share my learnings and enthusiasm with the rest of the Eco Club and continue making a positive impact in our community. 

Ntando M

I really enjoyed the Ifa Lethu trip It helped me  by understanding our nature in more depth and most importantly to connect with mother nature. It helped raise awareness about our environment and what we do  to impact it and to  find different solutions to fix the problem. I met great friends in which we engaged about the difference factors that affect our planet and made me more open and gave me motivation to do to the best of my ability to make our environment a better place . The one thing I would change in this trip is to have more activities like to engage with nature hands on but all in all it was great. 

Samantha B

The stay at Weenen Game Reserve has really been the most amazing trip I've ever been on. Just being in an environment that is so wild, and being with a whole group of like-minded people who aren't afraid to speak up and bring new ideas to the table was so refreshing and different. Thank you so much for providing us with this eye-opening experience! 

Nikayla N

The trip as a whole was an amazing experience; I learnt a vast amount of things that have impacted me both physically and emotionally. School does not teach us the amount of stuff we learnt at this camp, from rhino poaching to how the reserve is run, and it was really enjoyable. My favourite part was going on the early morning game drives and having the opportunity to see the different animals in their natural habitats and having the chance to firsthand experience living in the wild (camping, is one of many adventures I will definitely do again). The chance to bond with people my age that I've never met before was really fun, especially around the campfire where we got to know each other!! 

Zoe JT

This trip was truly amazing. I had so much fun and learnt so many new things such as the game drives and campfire chats and games and meeting amazing new friends. This trip was truly a highlight of the year and the three days taught me so much and really opened my mind about conservation and will have a positive impact in my life. 

Sarah M-P

I would like to express my gratitude for this amazing weekend. I found it informative and extremely interesting. One of my favourite parts was learning more about conservation and how we can improve it. I loved leaning facts about the wildlife and being immersed in nature. Going forward I would like to be more aware of how I can live my life in a more eco-friendly way and hopefully influence those around me. Thank you again for this incredible opportunity. 

Tashmika A 

The Ifa Lethu conservation trip was truly an incredibly insightful experience. It has left me with a much greater understanding of the efforts and work put into conservation, as well as what still needs to be done. This trip has provided a real-life account (my favourite being the the game drives) of the workings of  nature and its importance in our lives as human beings. This opportunity has been an  inspiration and is something for which I will be forever  grateful.

Ifa Lethu (Our Heritage)

Links:

• A link to our website, designed by Mak Kerkhof

After five successful Jonny Lowe Memorial Trust excursions in 2023, the dates and preparations for the 2024 excursions are in place. Senior schools in the KwaZulu-Natal area have been contacted and the responses have been overwhelming - so much so, in fact, that the maximum number of pupils on each excursion has been increased. With the help of our donors, three extra tents have been bought and set up in the Nyandu camp, and the existing tents have been repaired.

In October 2023, eleven teachers attended an excursion with Mak Kerkhof assisting. Akhona Slkhakhane and Karen Mackenzie selected the candidates and did all the organisation and communication. Akhona motivated a school to provide transport and the response was very positive.  

Four people who gave freely of their knowledge and time in 2023 deserve special mention and thanks. They are Frik Lemmer (Weenen Nature Reserve), James Kean (Mearns Farm), Dee Dickens and Mak Kerkhof. This is in addition to the convenor and enthusiast of note, Dr Peter Ardington.

The first excursion takes place on the weekend starting the 8th March.. All our programmes are available at no cost to schools and this is made possible through the generosity of our sponsors and donors.

It is worth highlighting some of the wonderful experiences in which the students will be involved. Not only are students engaging in eco conservation and wildlife projects, they are exposed to environmental education possibilities, and provided with reading material using simple, lowcost materials and practical examples. They are introduced to a good breadth of knowledge and in-field, interactive experiences. Emphasis is given to the importance of a conserved, biodiverse environment’s contribution to a decent, healthy, human future in mind, body and spirit. Presentations include climate change, uses and ethics of hunting, species and habitat conservation (e.g. rhino), game reserve management and regenerative agriculture.

Links:

• A link to our site on Facebook