Pictured above: (left) Zebra themed activities at Crawford International Sandton; (right top & bottom): Zebra face paint at South Downs College & learners in their Zebra-themed outfits

International Zebra Day is more than a celebration of one of Africa’s most iconic species. It is a reminder of why biodiversity matters, how ecosystems are connected, and the role education plays in shaping future custodians of the natural world.

Zebras, with their unmistakable stripes, are often one of the first wild animals children learn to recognise. But beyond their striking appearance, zebras play an important role in maintaining healthy grasslands and balanced ecosystems. As highlighted in broader conservation conversations around World Zebra Day, protecting zebras means protecting habitats, biodiversity, and the delicate relationships that sustain life in the wild.

This year, ADvTECH schools across the WESSA network brought that message to life through joyful learning, creativity, and meaningful action.

Learning through play and discovery at Southdown’s College

At Southdown’s College, International Zebra Day was embraced across school phases with enthusiasm and imagination. Younger learners arrived dressed in black and white, instantly transforming the day into a visual celebration that sparked curiosity and conversation.

Classrooms became spaces of discovery as learners explored zebra patterns through art, stories, sensory play and guided discussions. These activities went beyond learning facts about animals. They encouraged observation skills, creativity, and early environmental awareness, helping children make connections between wildlife, nature, and their own role in caring for the world around them.

By engaging the senses and inviting learners to express what they were learning, the day supported social development and built a foundation for empathy towards animals and the environments they depend on.

Pictured above: South Downs College Zebra Day Celebration – Learners dressed in their Zebra-themed outfits.

Turning awareness into action at Crawford International Sandton

At Crawford International Sandton, learners took International Zebra Day a step further by moving from awareness to visible, community-focused action.

Learners led a range of zebra-themed initiatives designed to spark conversations about biodiversity and conservation. From baking activities to upcycled bags, posters, and QR codes linking to conservation messages, learners found creative ways to share what they had learned beyond the classroom.

Importantly, these activities were not symbolic. They reflected a deeper understanding that caring for wildlife is connected to caring for people and the planet. Through charitable outreach and purposeful messaging, learners demonstrated how young people can use creativity and initiative to drive positive change in their communities.

Pictured above: Crawford International Sandton celebrating Zebra Day

Why days like this matter

International environmental days provide powerful opportunities for learning that is relevant, engaging, and action oriented. Zebras are part of complex ecosystems that rely on informed, committed stewardship.

When schools take part in days like International Zebra Day, they help learners understand that conservation is not distant or abstract. It starts with awareness, grows through education, and becomes meaningful through action.

At WESSA, we believe that these moments where learning meets care, and care turns into action, are essential in nurturing a generation that understands its responsibility to protect biodiversity and build a more sustainable future.

Pictured above: WESSA and Durban Solid Waste teams work together to rehabilitate an illegal dump site in Clermont.

Across KwaZulu-Natal this January, young people, community members and local partners came together to take tangible action for the environment. Through the Green Rising initiative, implemented by WESSA in partnership with UNICEF, two community-led interventions demonstrated how collective effort can restore degraded spaces while strengthening environmental stewardship at a local level.

From clearing invasive alien vegetation on a school campus to transforming an illegal dump site into a thriving biodiversity garden, these activities highlight what is possible when communities are empowered to care for the environments they live, learn and work in.

Restoring a school environment at Sthengile Senior Secondary

Pictured above: Alien invasive clearing activity at Sthengile Senior Secondary School

On 22 January 2026, WESSA, together with PEP Volunteers, community members and the local ward councillor, hosted an alien invasive clearing activity at Sthengile Senior Secondary School.

The initiative focused on removing dense invasive vegetation that had spread across more than two hectares of land on and around the school grounds. Through a coordinated, hands-on effort, the area was cleared, allowing indigenous plant life to recover and creating a safer, healthier environment for learners and educators alike.

Beyond the immediate ecological impact, the activity also served as a practical learning opportunity reinforcing the link between environmental care, climate resilience and community wellbeing, particularly for young people who are central to the Green Rising vision.

From illegal dump to biodiversity garden in Clermont

Pictured above: Clermont – WESSA and Durban Solid Waste teams hard at work to clear 20 tonnes of waste.

Just days later, on 28 January 2026, WESSA partnered with Durban Solid Waste to rehabilitate an illegal dump site in Clermont.

More than 20 tonnes of waste were removed from the site, significantly improving environmental conditions and reducing health risks for nearby residents. Following the clean-up, the space was rehabilitated and transformed into a functional biodiversity garden, offering a visible and lasting example of how degraded urban spaces can be reimagined.

Crucially, long-term sustainability was built into the project. A neighbouring spaza shop formally adopted the garden, committing to its ongoing care and maintenance, a powerful demonstration of local ownership and pride in the restored environment.

Enabling youth-led environmental action

Both activities form part of the Green Rising initiative, which supports youth-driven environmental action while strengthening community resilience in the face of climate and ecological challenges.

By combining hands-on environmental restoration with local partnerships and shared responsibility, these KwaZulu-Natal interventions show how meaningful change happens not only through policy and programmes, but through people working together to protect and restore the places that matter most to them.

Pictured above: group photo; Below: Presentation on the circular economy by the WESSA project coordinator

On 27 January 2026, educators from Glencore-funded and independently registered schools gathered at Ogies Combined School in Mpumalanga for a dedicated teachers’ workshop under the Glencore Circular Economy Project.

The workshop marked an important moment of reflection and renewal, creating space to look back at 2025 project activities, assess progress on the ground, and identify practical ways to strengthen and grow school-based circular economy initiatives in the year ahead.

Building on what works

A core focus of the session was supporting schools to consolidate what they have already achieved. Educators reflected on recycling and waste-management activities implemented during 2025, sharing what has worked well in their school environments and where additional support is needed.

These conversations helped surface common challenges and opportunities, ensuring that the project remains responsive to the realities faced by teachers and learners in the classroom and schoolyard.

Expanding the circular economy conversation

Looking ahead, the workshop introduced opportunities to expand circular economy activities beyond recycling, with a new emphasis on upcycling.

By exploring ways to transform waste materials into usable or artistic products, the project aims to:

• deepen learners’ understanding of resource value
• encourage creativity and problem-solving
• expose learners to the idea that waste can be a resource, not just something to be discarded

This approach opens up space for learners to express artistic skills while reinforcing key sustainability principles in a hands-on, accessible way.

Strengthening local partnerships

The workshop also created a platform for two local buy-back centres to present their services and explain how they collaborate with schools. Their participation strengthened links between schools and local recycling economies, highlighting how partnerships can support consistent waste diversion and reinforce real-world learning.

In total, 30 educators from schools in the eMalahleni area took part, representing both funded schools and independently registered schools engaged in the project.

Pictured above: Group engagement sessions

Supporting accountability and progress

In addition to reflection and planning, the workshop played a practical role in ensuring project momentum. Time was set aside to:

• complete outstanding registration documentation
• support schools in compiling evidence required for assessment
• address questions and gaps affecting progress against project activities

This structured support helps ensure that schools are well positioned to meet project requirements while continuing to build meaningful, learner-led environmental action.

Turning environmental education into everyday practice

By bringing educators together at the start of the year, the Glencore Circular Economy Project reinforced the role of teachers as drivers of sustained change within their schools and communities. The workshop not only strengthened existing initiatives but also laid the groundwork for deeper engagement with circular economy principles in 2026.

As schools continue to build on their achievements, the focus remains on practical action, collaboration and creativity, turning environmental education into everyday practice.