As part of the commemoration of Environment Month, the city’s Environment and Infrastructure Services Department (EISD) hosted youth for the Pitso Ya Bacha (A Call for Youth) campaign at the Dlamini Multipurpose Centre in Soweto recently.

The Pitso Ya Bacha campaign is a youth gathering aimed at empowering the youth across the city with knowledge about sustainable practices and possible opportunities for entrepreneurship within the environmental sector.

The event took place during Environment Month, which includes World Environment Day on 5 June. World Environment Day is the main initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme to promote global awareness and action for protecting the environment and its resources.

The 2024 commemoration brought together diverse stakeholders, government officials, NGOs, corporations, and the public, to participate in a series of activities designed to educate, inspire, and mobilise individuals towards environmental stewardship under the slogan “Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration.”

Eco guides from all the city’s seven regions shared their journeys and experiences, showcasing the initiatives and efforts they have undertaken over seven months to address some of the environmental challenges in their communities. The guides were brought on board under the Expanded Public Works Programme funded by the City of Johannesburg’s Economic Development department.

The guides project targeting the youth, generated job opportunities for Johannesburg youth from all regions. It focused on door-to-door environmental education, school’s activations, and community mobilisation on environmental issues to encourage community based environmental stewardship.

Pretty Ramapolane, an eco guide from Region A, applauded the programme saying: “I have gained valuable knowledge about environmental matters like environmental scanning, I’m disappointed that the project has come to an end.” However, she encouraged everyone to become environmental advocates and to educate others and their communities about the importance of environmental preservation.

Karabo Maja from the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) highlighted opportunities available in the environmental sector. “Green careers encompass any jobs related to environmental preservation, conservation, and sustainability. These opportunities span various sectors, including water, energy, forestry, conservation, mining and farming and food production.”

She stressed the significance of green businesses including seedling production, home composting, recycling, and other environmentally friendly initiatives that the eco guides can embark on. Green entrepreneurs are individuals who actively address environmental and social issues through innovative products and services seeking business opportunities that generate social, environmental, and economic value while minimising environmental impact.

Written by Dudu Lushaba
01/07/2024

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