Lessons aimed at preparing school children for careers in conservation have commenced as part of an after-school programme at an organisation in Kayamandi.
Lessons In Conservation recently launched their Student Journey Cycle at Songo.info in Kayamandi. This involves high school children identifying gaps that hinder them from conservation in their community, and generating ideas to improve the environments around them. The lessons are broken up with outdoor activities with all of the children. PHOTO: Britannie Hohls
From the start of August, the Student Journey Cycle, a programme developed by Lessons in Conservation (LiC), a youth-led non-profit organisation (NPO), will be part of the training programme at Songo.info, an organisation in Kayamandi that provides after-school care through cycling and educational activities.
Job creation the end goal
“The end goal of the Student Journey Cycle programme, ultimately, is to create employment opportunities in conservation through lessons that are taught about nature,” said Phiwokuhle Masimula, the national manager of LiC in Eswatini.
Masimula himself was a part of the LiC programme in 2018 in Eswatini, and is now a qualified nature sight guide.
The high school children attending the Lessons in Conservation (LiC) activities at Songo.info in Kayamandi, began the launch day by filling out a form indicating the problems they face surrounding the environment in their communities, which helps the facilitators to understand. “We want them to equip them with the knowledge that they can be changemakers,” said Sarah Gordon, regional manager for LiC in Stellenbosch. PHOTO: Britannie Hohls
LiC involvement at Songo.info
Children who attend Songo.info after school, will be split into a junior school class and a high school club, said Sarah Gordon, the regional manager for LiC in Stellenbosch, and a fifth-year LLB student at Stellenbosch University (SU).
“Being able to split the groups challenges the older kids more,” said Sipho Madolo, the programme manager at Songo.info.
With 150 children ranging from grade R to 12 involved at Songo.info, Madolo said that he is recognizing a passion for conservation, amongst some of the older high school children.
“For the children who are keen to pursue conservation after school, they now have a space to explore it,” said Madolo. “You can see the excitement.”
Around 150 children currently attend Songo.info in Kayamandi, and they have a waiting list of around 600, said programme manager, Sipho Madolo. One of the added benefits of individuals from Lessons in Conservation teaching at Songo.info, is that the children have the opportunity to improve their English skills, “which is a highlight”, said Madolo. PHOTO: Britannie Hohls
Taking Action
The Student Journey Cycle starts with lessons with the junior school children to “ignite a spark”, said Gordon, who forms part of the Stellenbosch LiC team of 12.
“The idea with the high school clubs is twofold,” said Gordon. LiC wants to equip the high school children to teach LiC lessons to the junior school children, and co-create the lessons.
Through action based learning, “we want learners to address environmental issues in their communities, and take action, using the resources available to them,” said Gordon.
They are taught to gather data, and report back on issues they find. In the last stage of the cycle, stand-out students are chosen to go on an immersive experience. If they want to pursue conservation, LiC will help them to go on the necessary training courses, said Gordon.
“We want to equip them with the knowledge that they can be changemakers,” she said.