Hiking Club

Growing up on the Cape Flats can be extremely challenging, with high unemployment rates, gangsterism, and drug and alcohol abuse. This inspired the Earthchild Project to start hiking clubs at both our schools situated in Khayelitsha and Lavender Hills.

The Hiking Club offers children an opportunity to escape their harsh realities. Not only do they get to experience and learn about nature but they also gain skills such as team work, leadership and communication.
Our aim is to train and inspire the Hiking Club members to become assistance trail guides. By the end of 2010 they will be able to assist us in leading other children from the townships on hikes. One member is also undergoing training to become a Junior Ranger with Sanparks, which will enable her to do conservation work around nature reserves in the Western Cape.

Worm Farming  Club

This club consists of 20 learners from each school, Sakumlanda and Zerilda Park Primary. The club members meet once a week to learn all the fascinating facts about vermiculture and waste management. During our sessions the children learn how build and set-up a worm farm, how to look after earthworms and how to maintain the worms’ environment. The children take full ownership of the project, including sourcing and preparing food (organic waste) for the earthworms, maintaining the farms, and setting up time tables for the feeding schedule. The sessions also expose the members to larger environmental issues such as waste
management and to permaculture gardening.