WESSA Schools Programme Annual Report 2019/2020

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One of the primary objectives of our committee is to ensure that learners are provided with nutritious meals to improve their concentration and ability to learn.

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I am Chairperson of our school’s National School Nutrition Program (NSNP) Committee. One of the primary objectives of our committee is to ensure that learners are provided with nutritious meals to improve their concentration and ability to learn. The garden project has really helped to meet this objective. Vegetables from the garden are cooked for our learners and some are given to the orphans for their home use. Learners are very empowered by seeing the end results of their efforts! We started recycling to keep the environment clean. We collected white paper, tins, bottle tops and bread bag clips. We even managed to get a bicycle by collecting bottle tops and useable pads for girls in our school by collecting bread bag clips. WHAT’S CHANGED? The projects have helped me to learn to pay more attention to detail. I too have been motivated by the end results and also by the support we get from the Eco-Schools project team in growing the Environmental Club. It has been important to be recognised by other people, including the learners, for the effort we put into improving our school. Knowing that anything is possible if we put our minds to it has helped me to become more outgoing and gain self-esteem!

FUTURE PLANS We wish to continue growing Retlakgona Environmental Club with the continued support of management and WESSA’s support and resources. Part of these plans include a furnished environmental office at the school, equipped with computers for research and teaching. Our plans include organising field trips for learners to see how people can make livelihoods from planting vegetables and also motivate them to take their studies seriously. We want people to show our learners how to use recycling and waste to make a living by making things and upcycling.

We plan to plant medicinal and other herbs in our school garden, along with the vegetables. Our vision is to teach our learners about the importance of healthy food choices and also to help them realise that it is possible to use their own hands to earn money and improve their circumstances.

WESSA Schools Programme | Stories of Change | 2019/2020 53