WESSA Glencore report 2022

Edward Matyeka Primary School

Kromdraai

HEALTH AND WELL-BEING Edward Matyeka is a primary school situated in Mpumalanga province within the Nkangala District Municipality in Emalahleni around a village called KwaGuqa. The school has been part of WESSA Eco-Schools project in partnership with Glencore since 2018. It was by the collective efforts of passionate teachers, dedicated learners, and significant community involvement that the school decided to make Environmental Education and protection come to the forefront of their objective towards learning They have achieved amazing results which have improved the overall school environment To achieve their target towards environmental sustainability, they set an amazing goal to help to ensure that implementation goes well. A team of five teachers and Grade six and seven learners was set up, and their amazing work has been seen. Edward Matyeka Primary School has embarked on improving healthy habits daily to attain better physical and mental health outcomes, so that instead of just surviving, the school community is thriving. This was achieved by the creation of a food garden, which assisted the learners to feed on the food garden when there was a shortage with the schools feeding scheme. The food garden project has encouraged learners to plant and sell produce grown by their own effort Learners were taught the ways to support and grow plants for themselves in their communities. Covid-19 relief resources have benefitted the school to reduce the spread of Covid-19 and improve sanitation.

Harvesting vegetables

WASTE MANAGEMENT

BIODIVERSITY GARDEN AND INDIGENOUS PLANT KNOWLEDGE The biodiversity garden is an important feature in the school ground. The establishing of the biodiversity garden has assisted the learners with the involvement in improving their own environment and helping learners to observe the interrelations in nature and bring the curriculum to life with real examples Learners have been able to study different kinds of animals and their habitats in the library plant area formed by WESSA within the school. The project has benefitted all learners, even those who can’t go to nature reserves or botanical gardens, to experience nature in their school ground. As a clean and litter-free school Edward Matyeka Primary School has seen an important element of environmental protection and need to provide hygienic, efficient, and economic solid waste storage, collection, transportation and disposal of waste without polluting the atmosphere, soil or water system. Through this initiative, learners recycle two- litre bottles and fill them with plastic waste to make Eco-bricks. It helps them to re-use waste materials and teaches learners to stop littering in their environment.

“As the champions in environmental protection and healthy living, Edward Matyeka Primary School will always be part of WESSA to foster and make a remarkable footprint to inspire future generations to continue the mission and vision of protecting the environment in their school and communities.” Edward Matyeka Primary School School Principal

Hand washing station demonstration

eMalahleni Glencore Eco-Schools Project: IMPACT REPORT 2022 11