Environmental Networking Platform for Children and Youth by SAMSUNG E&A
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ART IS THE BEST TEACHER - Environmental Workshop Day 2 |
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 Some weeks ago (as you would see from my previous reports) to promote environmental awareness and Tunza Ecogeneration, I began a series of environmental workshops amount young children in schools. It is of vital importance that we begin to apprehend that our young children are crucial in continuing this revolution towards a sustainable environment. Likewise this past week, we (myself and some environmental lovers) took a trip to a children?s home where we hoped to fish out environmentalist while they are still young. Emthunzi Wethemba, from a Ndebele phrase meaning Shade of Hope, is a Children's home that houses orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC's) ranging from the ages of 4 to 18 years. The home was founded a decade ago by David Ndoda, by then a retired teacher who saw a need to do something about the numerous street kids that roamed the streets of Bulawayo.  THE WORKSHOP Obvectives The objectives of this workshop was similar to our previous one. -to give environmental lessons that will make the young children care more about their environment. -To identify and help solve environmental problems that the children's home and Mzilikazi might be facing. And to come up with ways in which they can interact with the community and solve environmental problems. About 30 children attended the workshop, Including some of the staff from the centre. I was accompanied by two young active environmentalists from Bulawayo who were also eager to share a few things about the environment with the children. Thabiso Daudi Phiri is a long-term collegue of mine at Amakhosi Academy where we are both part time arts student. Amakhosi Academy is a local Non-Profit Community Arts centre that grooms young people with skills needed in various art disciplines. With the help of his years of experience, we were going to come up with art activities that would make our environmental activity more memorable. Also joining us was an exceptional young lady, Sibusisiwe Falala, who has become one of the most prominent ladies in the country, not because of her beauty but mostly because of her undying love for the environment. She was recently crowned the 2014 Miss Environment Zimbabwe first princess. Theatre performance – Directed by Thabiso Daudi Phiri After my lengthy presentation mood of the students became dull, it was time to liven things up with some drama. The challenge of the students was to use what they had learnt and dig deep into their creativity boxes and produce an art piece that would make them better understand the topic of land management. Three 3 boys and 3 girls volunteered to be actor and they only had 30minutes to prepare a short play on the environment. And oh? MAMA Nature! The show these young talented children gave was enough to land either one of them a part in Broadway or even Hollywood. The play (untitled) chronicled the struggle of a mother and father in convincing their children and friends to stop their destructive habits? of littering. |
     
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6 Comments
Great work Lesedi! Thanks for sharing this with us. I'm glad that you chose a children's home for this workshop!
Posted 02-01-2015 21:40
Lesedi, encouraging & convincing young children is very effective for spreading environmental awareness. Taking their feedback later on & asking them to convey to the audience is very important to seal the thoughts in their minds.
I admire the active co-operation of Ms. Sibusisiwe Falala in your endeavors .
Posted 31-12-2014 13:37
Commendable work , Lesedi. You made it unique by adding theatrical touch. It is important to use different interesting methods to instill environmental values in young children. You are bang on there. Good job again. Keep it up.Thanks for sharing.
Posted 30-12-2014 22:12
Wow, it's really incredible, Lesedi! You did a real good work :) I am so, so proud of you. How did you come up with drama, it's creative and inspiring. It's a very effective way to stir their environmental awareness without complex textbooks. Again, great work done by you and your team. Please convey my warm regards to the Miss Environment in Zimbabwe. She is an amazing woman :)
Posted 30-12-2014 10:52
Dear Lesedi :) I am much more happy you choose children's home as a part of your workshop. And yeah healthy habits should initiate from the early start of life. Pictures clearly show how really interested and active they were in drama. Good to know about MS Sibusisiwe Falala. Keep doing keep sharing :) Cheers
Posted 30-12-2014 10:10
Yes Lesedi. It is of utmost importance and extremely crucial that youth and children are engaged when sustainability is addressed. I truly admire the objectives of your workshop and also the fact that you added a play to your workshop to liven up the surroundings. Nice pictures too! Thanks for sharing:)
Posted 30-12-2014 01:32