WESSA Annual Review: 2022-2023

Projects and Partnerships

Mthunzini Rotary Project We have continued our involvement in the Rotary project at WESSA Twinstreams, which is funded by the Canadian Rotary Club through the Mthunzini Rotary Club. The primary objective of this project is to provide curriculum support to disadvantaged local community schools. It offers a comprehensive action-learning process that exposes learners to essential skills and techniques, with a focus on design and engineering thinking. This approach encourages creative thinking and problem-solving beyond the constraints of the formal curriculum structure. One hundred and eighty (180) learners including, twenty one (21) educators benefitted from the programme. Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) and Hilton Effect Project This programme covered various regions in KwaZulu Natal, including Zululand (Twinstreams Education Centre), the Durban area (Treasure Beach Education Centre) as well as the Midlands area (uMngeni Valley Education Centre). Its primary goal is to enhance school curricula through education for sustainable development,

by providing students with critical thinking skills necessary to address challenges in the conservation sector and the responsible utilization of natural resources for the benefit of mankind through environmental education. We have reached two thousand seven hundred (2700) learners through this project. University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (UKZN) e-STEAM Programme This collaborative effort between WESSA, UKZN STEC, SCIENCE ESKOM EXPO, and CASME focuses on the e-STEAM (Environment Science Technology Engineering Art Mathematics) programme. It took place in Mthunzini and included rural schools within the uThungulu district circuit of the Mthunzini rural area under Umlalazi Municipality. The aim

was to respond to a call made by the UKZN School of Education to partner with WESSA in engaging with learners and teachers. The programme included teacher training at WESSA Twinstreams Education Centre and aimed to introduce learners to project based learning. This approach was necessary as these learners found it challenging to solely rely on traditional theory-based learning. We provided practical curriculum support for Natural Sciences, Physical Science, Life Sciences, Geography, Agricultural Sciences, and Life Orientation to under-resourced schools. Additionally, our focus was on enhancing the school curriculum through education for sustainable development and offering curriculum support to schools with limited resources. Two thousand (2000) learners were reached through the programme.

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