The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park is a unique and vital part of South Africa’s natural heritage. In order to protect and conserve this World Heritage Site the Wildlands Conservation Trust has carried out various projects in this area including rare and endemic species research within the park as well as the Trust’s Indigenous Trees for Life project and other tourism and training initiatives in the surrounding communities.
Long-time supporter of the Trust and the Indigenous Trees for Life project, Unilever have contributed much over the years, in terms of funds, in kind donations and volunteers. The Living Lakes Volunteers initially formed in support of the Living Lakes network which aims to conserve the world’s lakes and uplift the communities surrounding them. With the beautiful Lake St Lucia only a two hour drive from their head offices in Umhlanga, Unilever staff have volunteered their precious weekends for over five years in support of this cause and to learn more about this unique ecosystem.
Khula Village is one of the communities situated on the south-western shores of the Lake where Unilever have assisted the Trust in uplifting and educating its people to ensure the protection and future conservation of the regions biodiversity. During the time Unilever staff have spent in Khula they have amongst other things helped remove thousands of alien plants, planted hundreds indigenous trees and beautified the area by collecting rubbish for recycling. They are now in the process of doing an “extreme makeover” for the Dukuduku Crèche in Khula Village, which supports 64 children, including 10 babies, in only one small room. Another building was erected but unfinished due to lack of funds.
In the first of what will be two or three weekends dedicated to the cresh’s “makeover”, 12 Unilever volunteers, the Wildlands Conservation Trusts’ Indigenous Trees for Life Team, the Khula Green Team and friends and family started their Saturday morning bright and early in preparation for a full day’s work. The Teams were split into four, the builders, painters, landscapers and playground designers but everyone mingled moving from one fished job to the next to help where they could. The unfinished building had the ceiling and air vents put in and was painted inside and out to be used as a nursery for the babies (at the request of the teachers). The playground was totally revamped with a new child-friendly jungle gym built and a sand pit and tire walks put in, washed with a splash of brightly coloured paint. Khula Green Team leader Siphiwe Mjadu designed the landscaping putting in two beautiful beds of indigenous plants and flowers in front of both buildings adding a lovely touch of greenery.
“I can’t believe we achieved so much” was the statement uttered again and again at the end of the day and onto Sunday. After a trip to the St Lucia Croc-Centre on Sunday morning to learn more about the regions history and biodiversity, in particular it’s reptilian inhabitants, the volunteers left full of satisfaction and eagerness to return to complete their “makeover”. The remaining tasks amongst others include carpeting and wall murals in both buildings (including ocean and African wildlife theme’s), swings in the playground and more landscaping work in the garden with the planting of a few indigenous trees, The Teaches will also be provided with lot’s of toys, educational materials and other resources to use upon the completion of the buildings.
WILDTRUST (registered as the Wildlands Conservation Trust - IT No: 4329/1991/PMB)