Marine Environmental Education Trust

Camp Africa
Tented Educational Camp

Camp Africa Awarded Eco Centre Status

Camp Africa Tented Educational Camp (founded in 2002), set up and run by the Marine Environmental Education Trust, (founded in 1997) together with My African Dream Children's Trust (founded in 2005) at Sweetwaters, Kommetjie, was awarded the status of Eco Centre at a function held at Kannemeyer Primary School, Grassy Park on Friday 17 March 2006. Together with 21 Schools from the Western Cape, Camp Africa Eco Centre was awarded the Internationally recognised Green Flag which is flown by 4 000 schools around the world who have shown environmental excellence.

Camp Africa is the first such Eco Centre in the Western Cape and only the Second Eco Centre in South Africa. Not only a leader in providing Outcomes based Environmental learning in the Great Outdoors, Camp Africa Tented Eco Centre presents Social intervention programmes like HIV and Aids, Substance and Alcohol Abuse to the many learners that visit for their Three Days, Two Nights camp.

A unique aspect of the Eco Centre is that the entire camp is under canvas, on a small piece of land leased from the City of Cape Town. The camp consists of ten Canvas Lodge Tents that are equipped with Pine Double Bunks, a Kitchen Tent and a large 60 seater Environ Tent.

Camp Africa has been awarded Eco Centre status not only for its environmental education programmes but most importantly for its minimal impact on the environment, energy saving lighting, water saving and recycling of all camp waste.

Camp Director, Terry Corr of My African Dream Children's Trust: 'We are indeed honoured to be recognised in such a prestigious way. Flying the Green flag as a recognised Eco Centre, has long been My African Dream, so to be the first Eco Centre in the Western Cape and the first Tented Eco Centre in South Africa is worth celebrating. This green flag, which is similar to the Blue Flag for Beaches, symbolises that Camp Africa is now part of a large International family of Environmentally aware organisations and individuals. We will strive to continually work to educate as many young South Africans about Sustainable Development as possible, with special attention to the Social issues that affect the youth. We must give recognition and thanks to our sponsors, the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund and the D.G. Murray Trust for their continued support.'

The Green flags were handed over by Ndoyisile Steven Miti, Chief Director of Metropolitan Schools of the Western Cape Department of Education, who said that the Eco Schools programme was endorsed by the National Minister of Education and that ' It was a huge step forward towards moulding the characters of the youth and that the Ministry of Education will continue to hold hands in broadening the programme to many more schools in the future'. Ivan Anthony the Urban Renewal Programme of the City of Cape Town, 'Environmental issues are no longer for the greenies; the schools are our future and we need to empower them towards environmental development'.

Kobie Brand of the Environmental Resources Department of the City of Cape Town, said ' The next generation of environmental managers could come from these Eco Schools; Environmental Resources like Water, Energy and Community Health and Safety could no longer be taken for granted and the City is now working at a local level, where a difference can be made at each household and at each school.'

The Eco Schools programme has been run nationally by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA), with its partners the WWF - SA and Nampak

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To contact the writer:

Tel: +27 (0) 21 780-1353 Cell: +27 (0) 84 680-1354 meet@mweb.co.za

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Camp hit by 60 knots Gale Force
Source: News May 2006