Sixty local Tree-preneurs in Luphisi went home smiling earlier this month, when Cathsseta, together with the Wildlands Conservation Trust and Qhubeka, gave them 60 bicycles for their 6000 trees as part of the Wildlands “Trees for Life” project.
“This is a really awesome project where communities are encouraged to be hands on. It has brought out their eagerness to achieve and they have a lot of fun,” said Hlengiwe Mthembu of Wildlands. “We are confident that this will continue to encourage our people in all the communities to keep their environment green and we will also keep empowering them with the bicycles as well. There are already 231 people in the area benefiting from this Wildlands project and they have received food, clothing and other livelihood support items.”
One of the bicycle beneficiaries, Ms Qoshiwe Mazibuko said, “The project has taught us a lot, especially about taking care of our environment and planting trees. I for one had no idea how to look after a tree but today through their assistance I have been able to plant 1 760 trees, which is a good thing indeed.”
CEO for Cathsseta Mr Mike Tsotetsi said the project was more of an educational and empowerment tool and with the bicycle donation they wanted to encourage people, especially in the deep rural areas, to lead a healthy lifestyle through sport. He said, “We are the sport, education and training authority (Seta). We deal with transformation and all our programmes and projects are geared to educate and encourage people in so many ways.” Tsotetsi added that the project also aimed to develop and change the lives of primary and pupils who had to walk long distances to and from schools. “This is a great initiative with a positive impact on teaching and creating more awareness of cycling as a sport in our remote areas,” he said. The MEC for culture, sport and recreation, Ms Sibongile Manana, said she appreciated both Cathsseta and Wildlands, “This is a meaningful contribution in our community and as a government that is promoting a healthy living through sport, we believe that this will make our people realise a bicycle is not only a mode of transport, but can also be used for exercise.”
WILDTRUST (registered as the Wildlands Conservation Trust - IT No: 4329/1991/PMB)