Cape Argus

Kids get the #SaveWater #EveryDropC­ounts message

- Marvin Charles

HAVE YOU ever wondered whether children are aware of the water crisis or whether children know what Day Zero is? Grade 4 pupils at Prestwich Primary School in Green Point know exactly what’s going on.

“I know we running out of water and it makes me scared because water is life and we can’t live without it,” said Anam Msusa, 9.

He said Day Zero was when the taps would switch off: “I get tired when people tell me I must save water every time because I know I must.”

Across the 108-year-old school, teachers have beefed up its water saving awareness campaigns. They’ve even encouraged students to not be “a Zero but a Hero”.

“We started putting the empty buckets outside so we can catch the rain and have water for washing, flushing the toilets and for the dishes,” said Inganathe Magwagwa, 10.

The thought of Day Zero frightened her: “It makes me scared because we can’t live without water and when Day Zero comes we are going to have no water for us,” she said.

Yesterday the #SaveWater ambassador­s were in the Cape Town CBD during their roadshow at schools across the province. It kicked off at Hazeldene Primary School in Mitchells Plain on Monday.

The pupils at Prestwich were given educationa­l worksheets and a talk by internatio­nal climate activist Catherine Constantin­ides. Miss Earth ambassador­s are also engaging in in-class room activities inspiring #WaterHeroe­s.

Some of the other schools to be visited this week are Gugulethu, Langa, Athlone, Philippi, Constantia and Melkbos.

The initiative is supported by the Cape Argus in conjunctio­n with its #EveryDropC­ounts campaign aimed at saving water and changing the water use culture. It has a special full news page dedicated to water-related news.

 ?? PICTURE: CINDY WAXA/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA) ?? PROMISING: Joy Patu signs her name in a pledge to save water. Miss Earth ambassador­s paid a visit to Prestwich Primary School in Green Point as part of the #SaveWater #EveryDropC­ounts School Roadshow.
PICTURE: CINDY WAXA/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA) PROMISING: Joy Patu signs her name in a pledge to save water. Miss Earth ambassador­s paid a visit to Prestwich Primary School in Green Point as part of the #SaveWater #EveryDropC­ounts School Roadshow.

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