2 minute read
World Water Week
By Tshepiso Lephera
DFFE AND SANDF preparing to plant a tree
Advertisement
World Water Week is the leading annual event on global water issues organised by Stockholm International Water Institute since 1991. The week attracts participants from more than 130 countries and consists of a broad array of parallel activities convened by leading international organisations on a broad array of water-related topics, ranging from food security and health to agriculture, technology, biodiversity, and the climate crisis. In 2021 World Water Work is celebrated from 23 to 27 August.
Mokala National Park celebrated it on 25 August with Zingisa Primary School in Kimberley. This day was a joined venture with stakeholders such as the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Solplaatje municipality, Department of Water and Sanitation, Green Good Deeds and Blueprint. Each and every stakeholder had an important role to play during this event.
The Socio-Economic Transformation Officer (SET Officer) did a PowerPoint presentation on the importance of water conservation, highlighting the water-related issues ranging from food security and health to agriculture, technology, biodiversity, and the climate change crisis. The learners were very interested and really enjoyed the presentation.
The objective of the presentation was to: • Identify ways to conserve water at school. • Implement and measure water conservation efforts at school and communities. • Emphasise that water is essential for all living things, and connecting our consumption habits to our local, state, and national impacts. • Connect water conservation measures at school to behaviour changes and actions at home. • Create awareness that the world’s supply of fresh water is limited. • Explore the concept of water distribution around the world and how the availability of clean water affects people’s quality of life.
After the presentation the learners were given an opportunity to ask questions and share what they learned from the presentation. What stood out the most during the interaction was the amount of questions they asked. After the indoor programme the learners, along with the stakeholders and the teachers, planted 10 Searsia pendulina trees. DFFE showed everyone how to plant the trees and the learners were so excited that they decided to name each tree and vowed to take good care of them. The day ended with lots of pictures.
