Water-wise youth
SOUTH Africa is a water-scarce country facing a number of challenges – including security of supply.
To exacerbate the situation, it is predicted that climate change will have a negative impact on the availability of fresh water as it will lead to droughts and floods.
The lower-than-normal rainfall caused by El Niño since last year continues to impact negatively on dam levels across South Africa.
Given these challenges, the question to be asked is: what is the role of intermediate schools in mitigating these challenges? The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), through its curriculum-based programme, the 2020 Vision for Water and Sanitation Education Programme (2020VFWSEP), organises annual national school competitions, with one of them being Baswa le Meetse (BLM).
The BLM is meant to recognise the achievements of the youth in their efforts to educate our society about integrated water resource management, promoting water use efficiency, as well as health and hygiene.
It also revives arts and culture in schools, and involves learners and educators in good water practice. It stimulates the interests of youth in water and sanitation and encourages them to pursue careers in water resource management and sanitation.
The competitions run from district to provincial and national. The participating project could focus on any DWS theme of water-use efficiency, access to water, quality, sustainable practices, greening and health and hygiene. The overall theme remains: “Water is life, sanitation is dignity.”
Learners can choose from five categories, namely drama, poster, music, praise poetry and poetry. District finalists will be selected in October 2016. Provincial winners will be adjudicated at provincial level in March 2017, and national winners in June 2017. Participants can contact regional co-ordinators in their provinces for further information.
Intermediate-phase schools and educators are urged to participate in Baswa le Meetse (Youth in Water) competitions across the country. For more information on the Western Cape region, contact Ms Elaine Ontong on 021 941 6224, or ontonge@dws.gov.za