Sowing seeds for the youth
Kanyile is one of hundreds of 'treepreneurs' in the successful Wildlands Conservation Trust Greening Project.
A WINNING formula for community upliftment is where tangible rewards are received, a real contribution is made to the environment and enjoyment is given in the process.
Njomelwane Primary School pupil Nolwazi Kanyile of the Mlaba Traditional Council near Ulundi serves as a good example as she earned R1 000 worth of groceries for her family by planting, nurturing and growing 200 indigenous trees.
Kanyile is one of hundreds of young schoolchildren involved as ‘treepreneurs’ in the highly successful Wildlands Conservation Trust Greening Project being co-ordinated in the area through a partnership with the Sustainable Development Department of Zululand Anthracite Colliery (ZAC).
The project sees youngsters collecting indigenous tree seeds from the bush in their area, planting and nurturing them until they are well established (about 50cm in height) and then using these plants to barter for groceries or whatever it is they need.
Speaking at the second ‘Tree Store’ or bartering of trees for goods, ZAC Manager for sustainable development Zodwa Ntuli said the project addresses not only preserving the environment, but also basic human rights of the people in the area.
‘Seeing the groceries Nolwazi and her family are taking home thanks to their hard work, is encouragement to other youngsters to enter the programme.’
Njomelwane Primary School Principal Fikile Sibiya said she had no idea what the project was all about.
‘Now I know how important the project is to preserve our environment and how it encourages the children to be diligent in collecting and caring for the plants.
‘I would like to see more children make the same effort that Nolwazi has made.’
Wildlands Trust Senior Manager Fezeke Mbele said in the first year of the project in the area about 1 300 trees were ‘bartered’.
‘We anticipate collecting 1 500 trees this year from the 48 participating children.
‘Our ideal would be to form a partnership with a local supermarket so that we can barter in ‘tokens’ directly at the stores.
‘The project is not only about exchanging trees for groceries. Some exchange their ‘tokens’ for building materials, school uniforms, school fees, bicycles or even driving lessons, whatever it is the child or family needs.’ said Mbele.
Acknowledging the role played by the Wildlands Trust in bringing the project to the area and for their background work in getting it established, ZAC managing Director Niels Kristensen said he believes that around 200 000 trees were collected in the uThungulu District last year.
‘The number of trees collected in our area has grown by 200 over the past year and the challenge is now to grow more trees and do better than uThungulu District.’
Kristensen said that there are a number of young entrepreneurs who have emerged from the Greening project such as a youngster who started his own business selling bicycles he had earned through growing trees.
‘Besides ZAC and the sterling efforts of Wildlands Trust, many people were involved in establishing the project in this area and I must thank the Mlaba Traditional Council in selecting the partnering schools Nqolothi Primary School and Njomelwane Primary School, the schools’ principals and teachers for their support and the parents who may have assisted the children.’
Addressing the children, Kristensen said this project will teach them important life lessons.
‘Unfortunately, too many people think rewards are an entitlement as a free hand out, sometimes it happens that you are lucky, but if you want to be successful in life you must put in the effort.’
