By Mzukona Mantshontsho
Alex Frost and Sergio Conclaves are members of Green Beings, a non-profit making organisation that gives people the opportunity to learn about, love and rekindle their connection with nature.
In conjunction with their education programs, they facilitate and coordinate the implementation of the WESSA Eco-Schools program, which serves to improve the environmental management, teaching and learning at schools. They started their program in Cosmo City with S’godiphola Secondary School and are now in seven schools in the community.
They utilise schools to demonstrate sustainable living and as a vehicle to integrate knowledge and skills into the surrounding community.
Green innovations and schemes are introduced and implemented on school grounds. In collaboration with like-minded individuals, organisations, foundations and departments we aim to aid in efficient resource use, food and water security as well as to reduce costs, government dependence and carbon footprints. In Cosmo City alone they have touched 7 schools of +/-1300 learners in each school and 240 teachers.
Green Beigs partnered with the City of Johannesburg and City Parks, trained and employed 20 Conservation Ambassadors to champion and educate the community about the sewage problems we have, climate change concerns and basic hygiene practices.
They did a door-to-door campaign to 100 households per month to find out how aware the residents were on these major concerns we have as a community through a questionnaire.
Their theme was “Education is a permanent Solution”, it was a success, they say!
Summary Initiative Insights from Alex Frost and Sergio Conclaves:
- Collaborations to save our community work,
- Common vision and goals will go a long way – look after your neighbour as the community is here for everybody,
- Pollution is a cancer we have – let’s not sit down, let’s ALL do something about it,
- Waste management is lacking – the Pik-it-Up methods are wasting so much money,
- The Conservation Area in extension 6 on Sierra Leone Avenue should be proclaimed into Cosmo City Nature Reserve for Tourism and Job creation purposes.
