During May, the first holiday we encountered with Lubunjwa Luseve in existence, we had a fully packed schedule. This is how it panned out.

The Environmental Club Programme:

18 May: Eco-schools - Thobile explained the format to Vukuza Mamas in Zulu, (and I read the PowerPoint in English) and she and her team will guide us along the way as we set up and run the ‘Eco-Club’

5 June:WESSA Education - Vukuza Mamas and 60 teenagers going on a field trip to Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve adjoining the Howick Falls to experience the natural environment. All dressed in their new yellow shirts with our logo. Taxis hired for transport, packed lunch donated by Merrivale Spar, Hilton Spar, Honeydew Dairy

11 June: World Cup – each child given a SA flag and a polar fleece scarf embroidered with ‘Lula Isandla 2010’ Warm for the cold winter nights ahead.

14 June: ‘Wildlands’ will explain recycling to the children, who will then all set off to collect garbage around Mphophomeni. They will do this every day that week with the following encouragement

• 14th – a flag sticker on their face,
• 15th – a bar of soap to take home,
• 16th – suckers on their return,
• 17th – a soccer ball tattoo,
  
• 18th – ‘2010’ painted on their face.
  

21 June: ‘Wildlands’ return to collect and weigh the garbage collected, for recycling. We get a credit for future bartering eg a packed lunch for a field trip with Thobile to clean up and learn about the Mphophomeni Wetlands.

5-9 July: ‘A Rocha’ will conduct a week-long workshop on forming and running a club, awareness of the world around us, practical conservation with stories and games. The Cultural Club: wearing bandanas with ‘Lula Isandla – Lubunjwa Luseva’ printed on them.

Under the guidance of Bonginkosi, it started this week Isicathamiya singing: the style of Ladysmith Black Mambazo Diski Dancing: those who know, are teaching those who don’t, including Fakazile! Computer Club: this we will launch after the World Cup.

Fakazile and Bonginkosi are thrilled with these developments for many reasons as we can all well imagine, and have committed themselves to making these clubs, with the co-facilitators, flourish. The children are bursting with excitement, and I imagine more so when they get all the goodies of which they know nothing.

A truly remarkable 2010!