Environmental Education/Capacity Building.
Babalwa Puzi-Koko
“She teaches people to make forests the pillars of their lives, and the importance of taking care of wild animals and rivers, she has made a true difference in our lives”
Babalwa is described as an educator, who teaches children and their parents skills that range farming to toilet building to environmental education. She has been involved in her current projects for 8 years. "I teach from my heart, and I teach what I believe in", she explains. "These children must learn to take pride in themselves, and use their available resources to equip themselves with skills for a better life".
Many of the children have started similar market gardens at home. In an area hard hit by poverty and HIV/Aids, these gardens sustain families, teach valuable farming and conservation skills and empower people to better their own lives. Excess produce is sold to help pay school fees. The children also learn indigenous wisdom about plants and the role they play in health care. A challenge is a lack of fencing for the project, which means that animals sometimes destroy the plants and security is a risk.
Babalwa works with a team of 12 dedicated and proud teachers and has changed what was described by the community as 'dirty and barren school' into a school with a productive market garden which feeds both learners and villagers. She is widely recognised as an authority figure in the community and is consulted in the community on a range of issues. She is known to travel far and wide to talk to parents, check up on ill students and gather community support for new projects. Other schools and teacher are follwoing her example and starting to take a more pro-active stance towards some of the challenges they face.
Babalwa works closely with the department of agriculture and the department of Health and Social Development, as well as other Tourism bodies. She has won an award from the Department of Forestry, Water and Sanitation for her contribution in this field. The “Siyakha” Project was started by Babalwa in 2005. It is a project that has taught people how to build toilets to prevent outbreaks of cholera in their region.
Students she has taught have gone on to win prizes in animal handling competitons and are skilled at drama, dance, and singing. They use these skills for education and awareness about critical issues, recognizing the links between culture and the environment.
Her students learn about the importance of trees, plants, rivers and animals and learn to carry this knowledge in their hearts.
Her colleagues concur, Babalwa is more than a teacher-she is the mother of the community.
