LANDMARK FOUNDATION – GREEN CLUBS PROJECT
4 DAY GREEN CLUB MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC TRAINING WORKSHOPS
GREEN BUTTERFLIES - VAN WYKSDORP PRIMARY –
5TH, 7TH, 9th, 11th SEPTEMBER 2017
CLUB MEETING – TUESDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER
On 5th September we held a special training and structural meeting with the Green Butterflies. The committee ran the entire meeting observing the correct protocol.
ITEMS OF DISCUSSION:
· Team leaders gave feedback of the projects they manage
· Everything seems to be running smoothly except for the bathrooms (solutions were discussed) - school will look into the situation.
· We took a look at new projects developing from the seeds and the Spekboom as well as the start of the Botanical Garden Project. The structure and new leaders were appointed for these Projects. These projects will keep the learners busy with work during their weekly meeting on a Thursday.
· Formalizing the staff leadership mentorship: Miss Pfaff will continue to be the HEAD LIBRARIAN and train the learners as librarians. Mr Philander will lead the Media team as well as head of Bathroom monitors.
· The introduction of champions or mentors from Jobs for Carbon team to facilitate the projects and assist the leadership. These champions are also members of the community and some parents at the school. Community involvement in their schools is a large benefit to the learners. Here are champions that are keen to assist the green club in their operations. These champions will enjoy the transfer of knowledge and skills that comes with this position.
Katrien to facilitate Spekboom Project and train Club Committee with administrative duties.
Elroy : Botanical garden Project mentor.
Melvin : Waste Management and Bathrooms (boys)
Brenda : Seed Project and Bathrooms (girls)
Elroy and sister : Sport and recreation
· New Projects: These projects have evolved naturally and have the potential to become a huge educational learning experience. They are mostly entrepreneurial centered but have strong touristic market. They will also generate income for the learners and the Green Club as well as become agents of change. These projects will become Flagship Projects of the Green Butterflies.
These projects are:
Ø SEED PROJECT: The food gardens have increased due to various food garden projects in the town. There is a demand for seedlings. The learners can grow the seeds from their nursery at school and sell the seedlings to the community.
Ø SPEKBOOM PROJECT: This project developed organically from the existing JOBS FOR CARBON which is currently running in Vanwyksdorp. The off cuts from the stems (once discarded for compost) are being cleaned up and potted into recycled tins the learners have collected. These trees can be sold on local markets by the learners and promote their product in their town for visitors.
Ø BOTANICAL GARDEN PROJECT: Adjacent to the school there is a large piece of ground, mostly at a slope. Apart from a few large alien trees, it has the potential of being rehabilitated and turned into a “little Botanical Garden” it can serve as a tourist attraction. The learners will learn about the type of natural vegetation, how to propagate succulents and other type plants. They can use the nursery at the school to create an indigenous nursery too.
Ø SPORT ENHANCEMENT AT THE SCHOOL: Elroy will facilitate sport training on Saturdays for those interested in keeping fit and busy on the weekends. As we are aware sport assists the development of the brain and the physical body as well as builds strong self-esteem and confidence.
ARBOR WEEK CELLEBRATIONS – TREE PLANTING PROGRAM –– 7th September 2017
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Nombuyiselo and Charmaine from Cape Nature joined us at Van Wyksdorp for this tree planting event. Nombu spoke about the food chain and the delicate eco-system services, water awareness as well as the value of planting trees. This was a combined session with the grades 4, 5, 6 and 7’s. a total of 75 learners. They were asked to be conscious of the task they were asked to do and to take full responsibility for their actions.
There were four groups of learners who specifically wanted to adopt a tree and were happy to take on the responsibility of planting the trees, watering them and looking after them.
Learners enjoy the opportunity to be part of such events.
POT MAKING – A CLAY WORKSHOP – 7thth September- After our meeting we walked around the school with the teams and discussed the structure. We gathered in Miss Pfaff’s class where the grade 4 and 5’s joined us. Each learner was given a fist full of clay. Despite the fact that there were 75 learners in the class, the class was calmingly quiet. They produced amazing little pots as we began to get to know each and every one of them. It was impressive to see the delicate workmanship from all the learners. Well done to Ruan for the fine workmanship using no tools other than the ground and his hands. “ If the opportunity does not present itself we will never know what we can do” Mr Philander and Ms Phaff enjoyed the lesson too.
MEETING WITH JAN VLOK AT VANWYKSDORP PRIMARY, SATERDAY 10092017. (REPORT BY ANDRE BRITZ)
We invited Jan Vlok to Vanwyksdorp Primary, to assist us with the identification of aliens, which have to be removed, and to mark 30 indigenous plants as part of the Botanical garden project.
Some members of the Green Butterflies arrived early morning to assist with the preparation of markers to be tied to the identified plants. We marked the Aliens with a purple coloured rope.
We were a group of twelve, armed with markers and anxious to tap in the knowledge of Jan.
We found only two Eucalyptus trees that we have to take out and remove them. We also found about two square metre of litjies cactus that have to be removed. These were the only aliens that have to be removed in the whole area.
We marked 30 indigenous plants. Jan gave us the Afrikaans as well as the scientific names of all these plants. We also took his book with us and we worked with it.
One plant, a species of Senecio that was found by Jaywill, is according to Jan Vlok an unnamed species.
The big surprise was the discovery of a confetti bush – Acmadenia fruticosa, a threatened plant in the area of the Botanical Garden. The next step must be to count all these plants. According to Jan, Vanwyksdorp Primary will be the only school in the whole world that have this plant on its property. This can be used as a tourism marketing tool of the Botanical Garden.
The next step will be to do a clean-up of the botanical garden.
Thanks Jan – Andre Britz
ARTIFICIAL GRASS FITTING - MONDAY 11 SEPTEMBER
The Green Butterflies, assisted by the J4C team, laid out the artificial grass in the quad of the school. They were keen to plant grass so that they could sit on it during school breaks. We discussed the water resources and the present drought. The soil is also very hard and would need serious preparation should they decide on planting grass. It was then decided to lay down grass.
We held a formal meeting with Mr Esau formalising the structures developed at the meeting.
We took this opportunity to thank the many organisations involved in making this program possible. This report also serves as a showcase of the spent funds.
There will be a final year camp and a visit to the penguin sanctuary. The education processes focuses on leadership, ownership, accountability, capacity building, community engagement and involvement, awareness of the environment, entrepreneurial skills, pride of one’s school/town etc. With the aim of developing a caring self-sustained community that works together and supports one another. This IS POSSIBLE!!
In Education,
Monica Vaccaro
Landmark Foundation
Education
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