WESSA announces 2026 Young Reporters for the Environment national winners

WESSA announces 2026 Young Reporters for the Environment national winners

May 9, 2026 | News, Young Reporters

Pictured above: (left) Alyssa Govenden (12yrs) Crawford International Lonehill in Gauteng, and (right) Palesa Mosegedi (13yrs) Segwaneng Primary School in the Northern Cape.

WESSA is proud to announce the national winners of the 2026 Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) Competition, celebrating two young South African storytellers who used journalism, photography and audio storytelling to explore this year’s international theme: Food Security and Climate Change.

This year’s winning entries highlight how young people are making the connection between food security, climate action, responsible consumption and community resilience — and how powerful storytelling can inspire practical action in schools and communities.

Meet the 2026 national winners

Podcast Category Winner: Alyssa Govenden

Alyssa Govenden, aged 12, from Crawford International Lonehill in Gauteng, was named the national winner in the podcast category for her entry, Wasting Food Ruins the Mood.

Alyssa’s winning podcast places the issue of food waste at the centre of the climate and food security conversation. Through her audio story, she encourages listeners to think more carefully about the value of food, the effort that goes into producing it, and the impact of throwing food away while many people in South Africa experience hunger.

Her podcast also highlights how climate change affects crops and food production, while rising food prices make access to meals even more difficult for many households. By focusing on simple actions, such as buying only what we need and sharing extra food where appropriate, Alyssa shows that everyday choices can make a meaningful difference.

As the South African national winner in the podcast category, Alyssa’s entry will represent South Africa in the international YRE competition.

Listen to Alyssa’s winning podcast:

Photography Category Winner: Palesa Mosegedi

Palesa Mosegedi, aged 13, from Segwaneng Primary School in the Northern Cape, was named the national winner in the photography category for her entry, World Food Day celebrated at Segwaneng Primary School.

Her winning photograph captures learners proudly harvesting vegetables from their school food garden. The image stood out for its joy, authenticity and powerful storytelling, highlighting the strong connection between food security, climate action and environmental education.

Through one image, Palesa tells a hopeful story of young people actively participating in sustainable food production within their school community. Her photograph shows how school gardens can become spaces of learning, nutrition, resilience and empowerment.

As the South African national winner in the photography category, Palesa’s entry will also represent South Africa in the international YRE competition.

Pictured above: World Food Day celebrated at Segwaneng Primary School by Palesa Mosegedi

Why these entries stood out

The winning entries responded strongly to the theme of Food Security and Climate Change, showing how young people can observe environmental issues in their own communities and communicate them in ways that are practical, relatable and solutions focused.

“This year’s winning entries beautifully reflect the heart of the YRE programme: young people using journalism to investigate real environmental issues and inspire practical action. Through a podcast on food waste and a photograph capturing learners harvesting from a school garden, these young reporters have shown that food security and climate action are not distant issues. They are part of everyday life in our schools and communities,” shares Nomfundo Ndlovu, Schools & Youth Senior Programme Manager, WESSA.

Building skills for the future

Through their involvement in YRE, young reporters develop life-long skills including critical thinking, data analysis, teamwork, social responsibility, leadership, writing, editing, videography and photography.

The programme also exposes young people to possible career pathways in environmental law, research, videography, investigative journalism, social justice and related fields.

WESSA congratulates Alyssa Govenden and Palesa Mosegedi on their outstanding national entries and wishes them well as they represent South Africa in the international Young Reporters for the Environment competition.

About Young Reporters for the Environment

The YRE programme gives young people aged 11–25 a platform to investigate local environmental and social issues and report on them in a professional, solutions-focused way. Through articles, photography, video and podcasts, young reporters are encouraged to research, interview, observe and communicate the issues shaping their communities.

At its core, YRE is about more than competition. It is about giving young people the tools, confidence and platform to tell stories that matter.

Click here to read more about the YRE programme

430+ Schools recognised across South Africa at WESSA Eco-Schools Awards 2025

430+ Schools recognised across South Africa at WESSA Eco-Schools Awards 2025

May 8, 2026 | Media Releases, News, Uncategorized

Pictured above: WESSA CEO Cindy-Lee Cloete

(Press release – 8 May 2026)

The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) concluded all provincial awards ceremonies for its 2025 Eco Schools programme end of March this year.

More than 430 schools across South Africa have been recognised for their environmental leadership and measurable sustainability action at the WESSA Eco-Schools Awards 2025, marking a powerful national movement driven by education, youth leadership and community impact.

Across eight provinces – including Gauteng (120+ schools), Free State (134 schools), KwaZulu-Natal (46), Western Cape (31), Eastern Cape (31), Northern Cape (29), Limpopo (24) and Mpumalanga (17) – the awards celebrate schools that are transforming environmental awareness into meaningful, on-the-ground action.

(Pictured above: (clockwise from top) Kwa-Zulu Natal, Mpumalanga, Western Cape, Northern Cape recipients)

Implemented by WESSA (The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa), the Eco-Schools programme continues to demonstrate how education can drive real-world solutions – from water conservation and waste reduction to biodiversity protection and circular economy initiatives.

WESSA CEO Cindy-Lee Cloete positions the Eco-Schools programme within the organisation’s centenary milestone and reinforces its national significance: “In 2026 WESSA celebrates 100 years of citizen action, 100 years of environmental leadership, and 100 years of believing that education is the lever that will make a change in our communities and in our schools. Eco-Schools in South Africa is one of the most impactful environmental education programmes in this country – a teacher movement and a learner-led action campaign.”

Across provinces, a consistent theme emerged: schools are no longer simply learning about sustainability, they are actively shaping it.

(Pictured above: (clockwise from top) Gauteng, Free State, Eastern Cape and Limpopo recipients)

WESSA Head of Education and Sustainability Kelly Alcock highlights the programme’s outcomes-driven impact: “What makes it powerful is not its scale, it is its measurable change. This is education that moves beyond awareness into action.”

Similarly, WESSA Schools and Youth Senior Programme Manager Nomfundo Ndlovu emphasises the shift from participation to leadership: “When learners are given the tools, space and support to engage with real-world challenges, they don’t just participate, they lead.”

Across the regional award ceremonies, provincial partners and keynote speakers reinforced the broader societal value of environmental education:

  • In Limpopo, keynote speaker Farina Lindeque from the University of Limpopo highlighted the importance of experiential learning, sharing that, “Environmental education becomes powerful when we design experiences that move learners from noticing to caring to acting.”
  • In the Eastern Cape, education leader Pumla Gxuluwe reflected on the programme’s long-term impact, reminding us that, “When we invest in young people and the environment together, we are planting the strongest roots for the future.”
  • In Gauteng, Ms Dululu Hlatshaneni, Deputy Director: Social Cohesion and Equity in Education at the Department of Basic Education, emphasised that, “These achievements reflect leadership, innovation and a shared vision for sustainable development.”
  • Across provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Cape, schools demonstrated how local action translates into measurable impact, from recycling thousands of kilograms of waste to restoring ecosystems and driving community-based environmental initiatives.

Several notable award winners across provinces further highlighted schools that have demonstrated exceptional, long-term commitment, innovation and leadership in environmental education:

  • KwaZulu-Natal
    • Emerald Award (20 years): Pitlochry Primary School; Shea O’Connor Combined School
    • Arum Lily Award (22 years): Epworth School; The Birches Pre-Primary School
  • Gauteng
    • Platinum 2 Decade (Year 17): Pecanwood College
  • Free State:
    • Diamond Award (10 Years Participation): Batjha Primary School (Botshabelo, Mangaung Metro) and Nthuthuzelo Primary School (Bultfontein, Lejweleputswa District)
  • Western Cape:
    • Silver Decade Award: Newberry House Montessori School
    • Platinum 1 Decade Award: Sir Lowry’s Pass Primary School
    • Platinum 2 Decade Award: Beaumont Primary School

As WESSA marks its centenary year in 2026, the Eco-Schools Awards highlight more than achievement, they reflect a growing national movement where classrooms are becoming hubs of environmental leadership.

As Cloete concludes: “We are not just teaching learners about environmental challenges, we are equipping them to respond with confidence, creativity, and purpose.”

From urban centres to rural communities, these schools collectively demonstrate that the future of environmental sustainability in South Africa is already being shaped – one classroom at a time.

 

Gallery – links to full Facebook albums for 2025 Eco Schools Awards event

Green Rising Project sparks community action for cleaner, greener spaces across KZN

Green Rising Project sparks community action for cleaner, greener spaces across KZN

Apr 30, 2026 | News

Pictured above: More than 140 committed participants in eMbali, Pietermaritzburg focused on alien invasive plant clearing, the establishment of a sustainable vegetable garden, and a community-wide cleanup

Across KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, April was a powerful reminder that environmental change is not only measured in cleared waste, planted seedlings or restored spaces. It is also measured in the people who show up, take ownership, and work together to build healthier, more resilient communities.

Through WESSA’s work with partners, schools, local residents and young changemakers, communities in Pietermaritzburg and Durban demonstrated what it means to care for the Earth through practical, hands-on action.

Restoring ecosystems and strengthening community pride in eMbali

On 13 April 2026, the community of eMbali in Pietermaritzburg came together for a high-impact environmental action under UNICEF’s Green Rising project, led by WESSA in collaboration with DUCT, Clean My Country, uMngeni-uThukela Water and local residents.

With the support of more than 140 committed participants, the day focused on alien invasive plant clearing, the establishment of a sustainable vegetable garden, and a community-wide cleanup.

The result was more than a cleaner space. The initiative helped restore local ecosystems, strengthen food security, and encourage environmental stewardship. It also highlighted the power of coordinated community action, where local partnerships become the foundation for long-term care of shared spaces.

Growing opportunity through urban agriculture

Pictured above: WESSA Membership and Tri-Eco teams planting vegetable seedlings into repurposed, nutrient rich soil filled sacks)

In the lead-up to Earth Day 2026, WESSA joined forces with WESSA Membership and Tri-Eco on 20 April to support a dedicated local changemaker in Durban’s Albert Park community.

Together, they helped establish a city vegetable garden using a simple but innovative approach: vegetable seedlings planted into repurposed sacks filled with nutrient-rich soil.

Row by row, the sack gardens began to transform the space into a hub of sustainability, creativity and opportunity. Once harvested, the vegetables will be sold within the community, supporting a small local economy while improving access to fresh, locally grown produce.

This is environmental action with a social purpose – turning available space and reused materials into a practical model for food security and community empowerment.

From illegal dumping site to biodiversity garden

Pictured above: A coordinated cleanup, waste removal and creation of a biodiversity garden – Lamontville, Durban)

On 29 April 2026, WESSA partnered with eThekwini Municipality’s Cleansing and Solid Waste Unit and Lamontville community volunteers to rehabilitate an illegal dumping site near an old age home.

The site had become a serious health and environmental concern, with odours and rodent infestations affecting the well-being of elderly residents. Through a coordinated cleanup effort, the waste was removed and the space was transformed into a biodiversity garden.

The intervention restored dignity to the area and created a natural deterrent against future dumping. Most importantly, it showed how environmental care can directly improve people’s daily living conditions, especially for vulnerable members of the community.

People caring for the Earth, one action at a time

From clearing alien invasive plants and creating food gardens, and to restoring dumping sites, these April activities reflect WESSA’s mission in action – Educate.Advocate.Act.

Each initiative shows that when communities, partners and young people work together, environmental action becomes more than a once-off event. It becomes a shared commitment to cleaner spaces, stronger communities and a healthier future.

Sun International Sibaya project: Waste takes the runway at Palmview Secondary School

Sun International Sibaya project: Waste takes the runway at Palmview Secondary School

Apr 30, 2026 | News

Creativity met sustainability at Palmview Secondary School in Durban on 30 April 2026, as learners took part in a vibrant Trashion Show as part of the Sun International Sibaya project.

The event saw learners transform recycled materials into fashion pieces, crafts and functional creations, showing just how powerful youth-led environmental action can be when creativity is placed at the centre.

With more than 40 entries received, participants impressed the judges with innovative designs that turned waste into wearable art. Three winners were selected in each category, recognising the high level of talent, effort and environmental awareness demonstrated by the learners.

The Trashion Show forms part of the build-up to the main competition, where five Sun International Eco-Schools will come together to compete. Through initiatives like this, learners are encouraged to think differently about waste, sustainability and their role in caring for the environment.

As WESSA continues to support schools in turning environmental learning into practical action, events like this remind us that young people are not only learning about sustainability – they are actively creating it.

Welcome to WESSA’s Coastal Programme interns in Durban

Welcome to WESSA’s Coastal Programme interns in Durban

Apr 30, 2026 | News, Uncategorized

Pictured above: (left) Thokozani Maphalala and (right) Khwezi Dlomo

WESSA is pleased to welcome Thokozani Maphalala and Khwezi Dlomo, who have joined the Coastal Programme as interns based at the Durban office.

Their arrival brings fresh energy, practical skills and a shared commitment to environmental learning, responsible tourism and coastal conservation.

Why they joined WESSA

For Thokozani, who holds a Diploma in Tourism Management, joining WESSA is an opportunity to connect his passion for tourism with environmental protection. He sees tourism as “more than just travel”, but as a way for people to connect meaningfully with places, communities and nature.

WESSA’s mission of “People Caring for the Earth” strongly resonates with him, especially through programmes such as Blue Flag and Green Coast, which show how conservation and tourism can work together.

“I bring a visitor-focused perspective from my tourism background,” says Thokozani. “I understand guest experience and how sustainability influences travel choices.”

He hopes to contribute ideas that improve visitor engagement at WESSA tourism sites, including stronger sustainability messaging, better signage and simple feedback systems that help visitors understand how their actions support conservation.

Khwezi joins the team with a strong environmental background and valuable skills in GIS and data capturing. She is inspired by WESSA’s role in protecting the planet while educating and creating awareness in communities.

“As an environmentalist, WESSA aligns with my values of conserving nature while educating and creating awareness to different communities,” she says.

Khwezi is particularly interested in using her GIS and data skills to support coastal programmes such as Blue Flag, while also contributing her knowledge of coastal and environmental legislation. She hopes to grow her project coordination and management skills and deepen her understanding of what it takes to run effective Blue Flag and Green Coast initiatives.

 A clear interest in the future of sustainable tourism and environmental action

 Thokozani believes that green tourism creates opportunities beyond guiding and ranger work, including sustainability audits, eco-certification and environmental education. His advice to young people interested in this space is simple: learn the frameworks, understand the opportunities, and remember that “take only memories, leave only footprints” is not just a slogan, but the future of tourism.

Khwezi echoes this with a powerful reminder that sustainability is active and ongoing: “Green is a process, not a status. We need to think of ‘green’ as a verb, not an adjective.”

“As they begin their internship journey, Thokozani and Khwezi will support WESSA’s Coastal Programme in strengthening environmental awareness, visitor engagement and practical conservation action along South Africa’s coastline,” adds Mike Denison, WESSA Coastal Programme Senior Manager.

WESSA looks forward to seeing their growth, ideas and contributions take shape as part of the Durban team.

Welcome to Louelle Chelsea Philander, WESSA’s first Northern Cape Coordinator: Schools & Youth Unit

Welcome to Louelle Chelsea Philander, WESSA’s first Northern Cape Coordinator: Schools & Youth Unit

Apr 30, 2026 | News, Uncategorized

Pictured above: Louelle Chelsea Philander

WESSA is excited to welcome Louelle Chelsea Philander as our new Northern Cape Coordinator: Schools & Youth Unit.

Louelle brings a strong science-based foundation to the role, with a BSc Honours in Environmental and Water Science and experience across biodiversity management, project coordination, community-based environmental education and stakeholder engagement. Her work has included invasive species management, ecological restoration, environmental education, community outreach, skills development workshops and programme monitoring and reporting.

Louelle brings a strong science-based foundation to the role, with a BSc Honours in Environmental and Water Science and experience across biodiversity management, project coordination, community-based environmental education and stakeholder engagement. Before joining WESSA, she worked with L Noah Supplies and Projects, the City of Cape Town’s Environmental Management Department, including the Invasive Species Unit (Green Jobs Project) and Environmental Capacity Building Unit, as well as SANParks’ Addo Elephant National Park as the Tourism Monitor – Socio-Economic Transformation Department, where her work included ecological restoration, invasive species management, environmental education, community outreach, skills development workshops and programme reporting.

For Louelle, joining WESSA is an opportunity to deepen the impact of environmental education in schools and communities.

“Through my experience, I have witnessed the powerful role environmental education plays in engaging communities, fostering a sense of stewardship, and driving meaningful conservation outcomes.”

In her first year, Louelle hopes to strengthen engagement with schools and create lasting impact by helping learners and communities turn environmental awareness into meaningful action.

“I see these programmes as an investment in people – because when individuals carry the message forward, apply what they’ve learned, and share it with others, the impact grows far beyond just one interaction.”

Welcome to the team, Louelle. We’re excited to see the impact you will help grow across the Northern Cape.