Pretoria - She is only 12 years old, but Isobel Govender-Bateman is already following in the footsteps of her well-known news reporter father, Barry Bateman of eNCA.
The Grade 6 pupil at Glenstantia Primary School is placing the pollution at the Hennops River in Centurion on the map, with her love for the environment and her interviewing skills.
In a news report, she highlights community activism as volunteers work together to clean the Hennops River regularly of tons of pollution that is destroying the ecosystem.
And this has now been entered into an international competition after it was placed first in the 11-14-year-old age category for the Wessa (Environmental, Ecotourism, Education and Youth Development Programme in South Africa) Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) Competition.
The YRE programme has been running in South Africa since 2018, managed by the Wessa Schools Programme.
YRE is an international education for sustainable development programme and it is implemented in 45 countries right across the world.
In South Africa, YRE provides a platform for the youth to engage with local social and environmental issues and risks, and positively highlight these issues through well-researched solutions by means of articles, photos and videos.
Annually, YRE schools across the country take part in the Wessa YRE Competition where they enter their environmental journalistic pieces (articles, photos and videos) to highlight environmental issues in their communities.
The national winners in the three categories then go on to represent Wessa and South Africa at the International YRE Competition to compete against youth from over 40 countries.
Isobel said she was proud of her achievement, especially being entered into the international competition.
“I was interested in making the video because I love the environment.
“I wanted to help spread the news of what’s going wrong in the environment and that there are solutions out there.”
Isobel believes that people must create and get involved in more organisations such as Hennops Revival, because a great deal of work is needed in order to restore the environment and all people should do their part.
“We are so proud of Isobel!
"She's passionate about saving the environment and has worked really hard on her news video with help from us,” her mother Sholain said.
Sholain said they became interested in Wessa and the schools programme after Isobel attended a Wessa-run school camp in Modimolle called Bush Pigs last year, and loved everything they learnt there.
Her father, meanwhile, said he was "incredibly proud and excited" for Isobel.
“I think it’s great that she's developed this desire not only to tell stories, but to make a difference. That’s probably what led many of us to pursue this career. She’s just started a lot earlier.”
Wessa's national manager, Cindy-Lee Cloete, said: “Our team selected her video as a winner because we believe that all small actions, when put together, can bring drastic and transformative change not just for the environment, but for us as people too.
“We wish Isobel the best of luck with her international entry and look forward to working with her on the Wessa YRE programme.”