The recent Environmental Education excursion organized for the Hope Scholars from Zisukhanyo Senior Secondary School was a success in creating awareness about the importance of oceans and the coastal environment. The primary objective was to promote sustainable utilisation and conservation of these resources so that future generations may benefit from them. To achieve this, the excursion utilised the Young Reporters of the Environment (YRE) programme, which provides young people aged 11-25 with a platform to research environmental issues and propose solutions through investigative reporting, photography, and video journalism.
On May 8th, 2023, 36 Hope Scholars had an immersive experience at The Shark Education Center hosted by the Save Our Seas Foundation in a bid to create environmental awareness. The excursion mainly focused on marine biodiversity, highlighting the threats to marine life and ecosystem interactions. The intensification and variety of anthropogenic activities have significantly contributed to the decline of South African marine biodiversity. The increasing direct exploitation, the introduction of non-native marine species, climate change, habitat modification, pollution, and disturbance all affect the coastal zone.
One of the learners' standout experiences was the hands-on exploration of rocky shores surveys, where they were tasked with observing and recording every living organism dependent on the rocky shores. They delved into the practical side of learning and discovered the interactions between oceanic living organisms and their environment.
Overall, the excursion was an entertaining and interactive learning experience, and the learners walked away with a newfound appreciation for the environment. As Indiphile Baba, a learner at Zisukhanyo, said, "it was an eye-opening experience." The excursion provided the scholars with the knowledge that they can utilise to make their communities better, ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for all.
It was indeed a very entertaining and hands-on excursion creating environmental awareness with learners - said Indiphile Baba who is a learner at Zisukhanyo.