Sandiso Phaliso
EMBRACING the impact the natural environment has on everyday life, and remembering the responsibilities to safeguard this precious resource, Shelani van Niekerk, as part of her duties as a Miss Earth regional semi-finalist, has embarked on a series of activities urging communities to keep the environment clean.
Van Niekerk helped plant indigenous fruit trees for children in Khayelitsha at the Zenzeleni Waldorf School this week.
Next week she will assist Stellenbosch Waldorf School in a beach clean-up campaign along the False Bay coast.
This is not all – Van Niekerk will be part of a video petition to ban plastic on beaches.
There are 12 other Miss Earth semi-finalists across the province.
“We are making banners and representing the voice of marine life and will be talking to the homeless to help us spread the word,” said Van Niekerk.
She described herself as a performing artist, an activist, a writer, teacher and a dreamer. “You can have all the money in the world, but without a healthy environment to spend that money in, it becomes pointless.”
By showing children how to take care of the environment she hopes to help create a brighter future for South Africa, she said.
“We must create beautiful spaces around us. If we don’t take responsibility for the injustice we are doing against nature, the future does not look bright.”
Miss Earth South Africa executive director, Catherine Constantinides, said the aim of the programme is to empower women and provide a platform to create environmental and social awareness about the challenges women have to go through and ways to solve those challenges.
Constantinides said the programme strived to uplift the community and educate young children. Next month a national finalist will be announced in Johannesburg.
“Even though our indigenous fruit is not the most delicious fruit that we know today, it is still edible and therefore it is an investment in a community that is struggling and needs support.
“It was just wonderful to be a part of it. Ultimately we created an experience for the children that they can carry through in their hearts and throughout their lives.”