This weekend 200 rural children from one of KwaZulu-Natal’s poorest communities participated in their first ever duathon. The 2.5k run and 6km cycle had KwaJobe’s youth running and cycling their hearts out for top honours. But these aren’t just ordinary kids, they are ‘tree-preneurs’ – children who grow indigenous trees to provide for themselves and their families as part of the Wildlands Conservation Trust’s Indigenous Trees for Life Programme. This weekend, they learned that not only is conservation important, but so is having a whole lot of fun!
The Bonitas Sunday Tribune KwaJobe Community Challenge began like any other professional sports event, amidst a flutter of banners, rolling camera’s and clapping spectators. But there is something a little more special about this event than most others. The Jobe community is home to the first Indigenous Trees for Life project started more than four years ago and many of the original growers participated in the challenge on the weekend. The programme teaches vulnerable women and children to grow indigenous trees, which, once they have reached a certain size, can be traded back to Wildlands for food, clothes, personal care products, and agricultural goods as part of the programmes ‘tree stores’ initiative. Since the first seeds were planted in the soil of KwaJobe in 2004, the project has grown to include more than 2500 tree-preneurs growing trees in 23 communities around KZN, and recently, two other provinces in South Africa.
The event forms part of the Bonitas Wild Series, a series of 11 sporting events held to raise funds for the conservation projects of the Wildlands Conservation Trust and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. Community events are historically held the day before some of the professional events to give the local children in the area a fun day out and get them involved in sport. The new community challenges have turned into events in their own right with the help of sponsors Bonitas, Sunday Tribune, and Powerade. “We want to give the kids the experience of being involved in a real sporting event and to say thank you to them for playing their part in saving our planet and making a difference”, said Wild Series co-ordinator Heidi Mocke. “Playing sport is not only about being fit and healthy, but it is also a great way to connect with others, make friends, get rid of negative energy and learn discipline. It also helps with keeping curious young minds out of trouble! Mostly, we want these kids to have an absolute blast, and make it a day they will remember for the rest of their lives!”
The addition of community challenges [to the Wild Series] seemed inevitable after the Qhubeka initiative, a bicycle distribution programme, sourced bicycles for the children to barter for their trees. Tree-preneurs ‘pay’ 100 trees for a bike, a small feat when most kids have nurseries of over 1000 trees in their back garden. Qhubeka’s contribution was initially to provide mobility to children and families who have to walk miles to get to school and the shops but with the expansion of the Wild Series, made possible by Bonitas’ full sponsorship of the series, it seemed a sports event for the kids was a must! And so, the first community challenge was held in the eSikhawini community just outside Richards Bay to pilot the concept. It proved such a hit with the kids that Wildlands would eventually like to run these events in all 23 of the Indigenous Trees for Life programmes.
Every child who participated will be receiving a copy of the Sunday Tribune bearing their results as a keepsake. They also received medals, t-shirts and food and drinks on the day. The top three boys and girls also received Unilever hampers containing food, toiletries and blankets for their athleticism.
Please visit www.qhubeka.com for more on the Qhubeka initiative and www.wildseries.co.za for more on the Bonitas Wild Series.
Winners:
Boys:
1st: NDUMISO NXUMALO
2nd: BONGANI GINA
3rd: THABANI NHLENYAMA
Girls:
1st: NTOMBENHLE NSUKWINI
2nd: LINDELANI SIYAYA
3rd: NQOBILE MTHETHWA
WILDTRUST (registered as the Wildlands Conservation Trust - IT No: 4329/1991/PMB)