Educated versus Leaned…..

Posted December 10, 2017

Kachuta Primary School

6 December 2017

Domboshava, Goromonzi District, Mashonaland East Province

Whilst the terms ‘educated’ and ‘learned’ may be used interchangeably, they mean different things. Whilst one has to go through formal education institutions to be educated, learning can be attained via life experience, socialisation processes in the home, church, mass media or a simple conversation.

Growing up in, Chigonda Village in Marange, Miss Shamiso Winnet Mupara enjoyed the experiences of being a child, playing under a shed, gathering fruits in the forests and climbing trees. Times got harder when trees became scarce due to deforestation especially for firewood which was the major source of energy. This culminated into long walks in search of firewood to return home with twigs. Having had learnt from first hand life experiences, Shamiso Mupara chose a life path that safeguards the environment.

Driven by a passion to correct the injustices to the environment that includes deforestation, Shamiso Winnet Mupara studing towards a Doctorate in Environmental Management, founded an organization that today stands as a stronghold of environmental protection, Environmental Buddies Zimbabwe Trust.

Moved by the conviction that learning starts and is most effective when one is still of a tender age, Environmental Buddies Zimbabwe Trust has embarked on a ‘Catch-them-Young’ programme that seeks to instill values of environmental protection in young people. Incorporating the importance of education in creating green ambassadors, Environmental Buddies Zimbabwe Trust together with Kachuta Primary School engaged on a tree planting project as a learning process for young people to love the environment.

Environmental Buddies Zimbabwe TrustYoung girls and boys first got a chance to engage in a conversation amongst themselves with the coordination of

on the importance of safeguarding the environment. Also discussed were the importance of trees, their significant uses and need for afforestation. Highlighting various significance of the fruit and fruit trees in terms of the present social and national aspects, Dr. Shamiso Winnet Mupara put emphasis on the need to transform the tree plantation campaign into a social movement. Forest resources are widely recognised as sources of social, environmental and economic benefit for societies in developing and least developed countries. The direct and indirect benefits of forest and tree uses are significant for enhancing food security at household level especially in rural communities. Trees provide essential supporting services like pollination for enhancing cultivation of nutritious fruits and vegetables which are important apart from staple crops like maize.

The day ended filled with action, with pupils running around the school yard. Some pupils dug holes, whilst other planted trees with the rest carrying water cans to water the newly planted trees. But the most important part was the children “learned” how to plant trees and the importance of sustain ably manage forest resources.