WESSA Glencore report 2022

Nancy Shiba Primary School

School tunnel

Kromdraai

SCHOOL PROJECTS ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS Recycling has helped with fund raising, and guards against littering and pollution in- and around the school. Tree planting beautifies the school and provides learners with shade during lunch break. A few fruit trees have been planted which provide peaches for the learners. One of the first issues Nancy Shiba Primary tackled was waste management. Pollution was created by a lack of resources such as refuse containers but also by littering and illegal dumping near the school, which the wind would blow into the school grounds. The solutions started in the classrooms, where we engaged learners about waste and its environmental impacts. Next, learners were taken to the polluted areas where they could observe The food garden was developed and now supplements the school’s feeding scheme Nancy Shiba was struggling with various environmental issues and was excited to join the programme in 2018. It gave the learners an opportunity to use the food garden as a practical learning tool , offering mind-changing life skills, such as taking care of the environment and not littering.

the many linkages to their lessons as well as play an active role in keeping the area clean. This approach has helped change the learners’ attitudes greatly. One of the challenges with sustainable food gardening was that caterpillars which would feast every night on the vegetable seedlings, mostly spinach, lettuce, and beetroot. The groundsmen had little time to spare to work in the gardens and deal with these pests. Through the Eco-School programme Nancy Shiba received an organic caterpillar repellent, which has reduced the pest problem greatly. The school principal came up with a concept which has worked really well at this school Community members assist with sustaining the school’s food garden In return they each have their own plots in which to plant their own food This has allowed our school groundsmen to be able to focus on other school matters. Recently the school received garden resources from local corporates through the recognition of being the best environmentally friendly school in the area.

“Our strength is in our planning and support from the WESSA team.” A Kunene

FUTURE PLANS AND WISHES Nancy Shiba wishes to expand their recycling project by fundraising for more waste sorting bins. They also have plans to extend what they have learnt into what they call “Eco-community”. An Eco- Community Programme could help the community, particularly those homes surrounding the school, to have a better understanding of the schools projects and what we are trying to establish. through this programme Dudu Mlambo says she has learned grow food in a sustainable way and her organic garden at home is now without chemicals, she now makes her own compost rather than buying fertilizer. She has also started growing strawberries at home.

IMPACT ON TEACHERS

Teachers at Nancy Shiba expressed that they have grown personally and professionally

Harvesting

‘’The programme has changed my perceptions, as well as my leadership and management skills and I am now a better communicator. It has also helped me to understand the value of these environmental aspects at our school as teaching resources. I see how much the learners enjoy being outside, in the garden and being active, which has further expanded their understanding and well-being.” Dudu Mlambo, Eco Teacher

eMalahleni Glencore Eco-Schools Project: IMPACT REPORT 2022 21