Celebrating Young Voices on World Rhino Day!

During September 2025, we had the privilege of supporting the World Rhino Day Public Speaking Competition, hosted by Lapalala Wilderness School — a platform where passionate young learners raised their voices for conservation and change. 

As the Waterberg Nature Conservancy, we were proud to sponsor a prize — a school uniform voucher — in support of this inspiring initiative and the bright young minds behind it. A special congratulations to Billy Mokonyama from DG Tsebe Secondary School, who earned 3rd place in the speech category and received the sponsored prize! 

To all the winners and participants: your dedication, courage, and advocacy are truly inspiring. Keep speaking up — the world is listening.

The Senior Conservation Club members of Waterberg Biosphere Reserve were treated to an educational excursion to Marakele National Park during SANParks Mahala Week on September 26, 2025. The trip, made possible by the collaboration of several stakeholders,
aimed to connect young people with nature and deepen their understanding of conservation efforts.

Under the guidance of a Marakele National Park official, the members learned about biodiversity, ecosystems, and importance of responsible stewardship. The event highlighted the value of investing in youth-driven conservation initiatives and the power of partnership in promoting environmental education and sustainable development.

Special thanks to:

• Waterberg Biosphere Reserve for organizing the trip.
• Waterberg Nature Conservancy for funding and providing food and refreshments.

The Air Quality Awareness Raising Workshop, held from 14-15 August 2024, was organized by the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve Youth Network and sponsored by the Waterberg Nature Conservancy (WNC).

The workshop aimed to engage and empower youth from communities in environmental protection, specifically air quality and climate change adaptation. 37 youths attended the workshop on Day 1, with representatives from youth networks across Thabazimbi, Mogalakwena, and Vaalwater, as well as conservation clubs and air quality officials.

Through PowerPoint presentations, discussions, science demonstrations, and group feedback sessions, the youth were educated on air pollution’s impact on human health and biodiversity.

WNC support was instrumental in bringing this important initiative to life.

In 2023, WNC contributed to the Waterberg Wild Dog Initiative (WWDI) by donating funds towards the purchase of a tracking collar. This donation enables the WWDI to effectively monitor the resident, free-roaming packs of Wild Dogs within the Waterberg area. The tracking collars allow the team to observe the pack’s movements remotely, minimizing disturbances to their natural behavior while ensuring reliable tracking.

WNC donated to the annual World Rhino Day Poster, Essay, and Public Speaking Competition, which is held each year at the Lapalala Wilderness School.

In 2023, the event saw participation from 63 schools and 125 Grade 10 learners. The students presented arguments and proposed solutions addressing the social, political, and economic impacts of rhino poaching in South Africa.

In the month of September in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2024, WNC held family day picnics with funds raised going towards the Education Fund – part of this programme is The Teach Crèche Teachers To Teach Project.

In 2024, funds will be directed towards selected projects of the Waterberg Biosphere Youth Network. These events have always been very successful, happy days, which would not have been possible without the wonderful support of sponsors of raffle prizes and auction items, including:

Ant Baber; Ant’s Hill; Zeederberg Spar; The Rhino Run – Van Loveren Wines; Waterberg Heatwave; Painted Wolf Wines; Bullseye Taxidermy; Waterberg Slaghuis & Deli; The Reikerts; Bosveldsrus Chickens; Bee Living; Mackouwkuil; Gustav Collins; Lindani Lodges; Adventures With Elephants; Clive Walker; The Heals; Robin Taylor; Carla’s Bakery; Lapalala Wilderness Nature Reserve; Marc and Christine Dieltjens; PowerBuild.

We are also deeply grateful to the Waterberg Biosphere Youth Network for their assistance on the day and to Shelley Zeederberg of Zeederberg Cottages for the use of her beautiful venue in 2019 and 2024.

At the picnics, there were various stall holders and music makers, security dog displays, and many willing helpers. We applaud and thank them all.

In March 2018, the WNC identified the real necessity for very young children to be stimulated and taught properly and meaningfully to give the basis for early childhood development to prepare them for formal education.

To be able to do this WNC is very fortunate to by “partnered” by the Waterberg Academy and their crèche teachers, one of whom trains crèche teachers, mostly from Leseding, once a month at the Academy.  These crèche teachers voluntarily attend the classes which are well attended.  The WNC sponsors the Academy teachers and buys educational teaching materials vital for successful training.  Additionally, WNC has bought other most needed materials like bead shapes, wild animal counters, etc. and books.  These have been directly distributed to the various crèches.

A wonderful spin-off from the crèche teachers receiving additional tuition is that they feel they are now in a position to follow through with this and many of them have applied to achieve more qualifications with the Government Educational Department.  So not only are the youngsters benefiting from better teaching, the teachers themselves are benefitting and improving their own credentials.

November 2018, WNC held a coffee morning at Zeederberg Cottages for the crèche teachers and they were presented with attendance certificates.  Another such event will happen in November 2019.

The last session of this project was in February 2020, but due to Covid 19 and lockdown, the project actually reached its natural conclusion.  However, the WNC will continue to fund environmental education projects.

From March 2018 and on-going sponsorship of the Teach Crèche Teachers to Teach Programme

June 2018 Donation to Endangered Wildlife Trust for the “Waterberg” wild dogs

June 2018 Donation to Lapalala Wilderness School for World Environmental Day to assist them in educating and entertaining hundreds of school children from the Waterberg area

August 2018 Donation of cleaning materials for Mayor Marlene van Standen’s Clean-Up Vaalwater Campaign

August 2018 Donation to Dorset Police Station for holding a Women’s Support Network Day

September 2019 Donation to Waterberg Tourism for their indigenous and water friendly tree/shrub project in educating people, especially children, in the importance and usefulness of trees

September 2019 Donation to Lapalala Wilderness School to buy study aids/textbooks for a prize at the LWS World Rhino Day children’s public speaking competition