Founded more than 30 years ago by Clive Walker and Dale Parker, Lapalala Wilderness School works to bring young people into the environment fold by helping them discover the value of the natural environment.
Mashudu Makhokha, the school’s director, says they run an array of basic programmes for young people in the Mogalakwena, Modimolle and the Waterberg region in Limpopo.
Their curriculum is in conjunction with the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement.
“Lapalapa comes in to teach on biodiversity in a much broader form,” Makhokha says.
“We give teachers the confidence to teach on subject matter with the right content and also put it in context. When you open a textbook, some of the examples are not necessarily African examples.”
Makhokha says that their way of teaching is much more practical, because it gives children the opportunity to explore local rivers and the surrounding savanna to practically learn about the environment they live in and, most importantly, how to take care of it.
Lapalala Wilderness School also encourages citizen science, that is, public participation in science.
“In most cases, teachers will say that they do not have enough resources, but we are saying, use your immediate environment as a resource to teach. If there is a river close by, go to the river to do a science project by testing the phosphate and the PH level of the water using a test kit.”
Makhokha says that this way, children from a particular school can adopt a stream and make it their mission to ensure it is pristine.
Makhokha says what sets Lapalala apart from other schools is that they tailor their programme to suit the needs of the school, community and environment in which they are.
They visit local schools in the Waterberg region, assess an issue in that particular community and then tailor the programme to deal with that particular issue.
He says when children leave their programme, they are empowered with an action project that they can implement in their community.
Makhokha says the school instils practical skills such as creating food gardens, beekeeping, tree planting, recycling and repurposing waste material.
Lapalala Wilderness School is situated on 48 000 hectares on Lapalala Wilderness Reserve, the first private reserve in South Africa to acquire the black rhino in 1990, making it one of the leading private rhino sanctuaries in South Africa.
The school is environmentally friendly — made with rammed earth walls that are not only aesthetically pleasing but are fire, water, mould and termite resistant.
The walls have properties that are energy efficient, maintaining cooler temperatures during high summer temperatures. The school has already received a net zero certification from the Green Building Association of South Africa. This means it is highly energy efficient and achieves zero net carbon emissions on an annual basis.
In 2021, United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) South Africa compiled a report, which said that 80% of young people say they have been directly affected by a climate or environment related event in South Africa. Christine Muhigana, Unicef South Africa’s representative, said in a statement that young people are feeling the brunt of climate crises and environmental degradation.
“That’s why their voices need to be heard and why urgent investment in climate adaptation and mitigation efforts is needed to protect the services that children depend upon.”
Lapalala aims to help children and the youth discover the true value of biodiversity and to nurture future environmental champions.
Lapalala Wilderness School has environmental champions, who are among the 150 000 children who have gone through the school, according to Makhokha.
He says under this approach the children become decision-makers and environmentalists and often return to the school to teach what they’ve learnt at university.
“Biodiversity is in everything we do, whether you become a lawyer or accountant, environmental affairs follow you. Which is why we are proud to equip our champions with the necessary skills,” Makhokha added.
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