Making waves in marine conservation

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Olwethu Mthimkhulu of Mossel Bay will appear on the TV programme, Kwêla, on kykNET, after being filmed on Santos Beach, telling how he overcame his fear of the sea.

The filming took place on Wednesday, 21 May, and popular Kwêla presenter Therese Benade was here in town for it.

The exact date that the episode will be aired is not yet known.

Olwethu said he was helped to overcome this fear of the sea through the support of the IOceans Trust, which runs programmes to uplift and enrich the youth in Mossel Bay.

Many of the informative events IOceans organises have a marine theme.

Olwethu is one of the Mossel Bay youths who has been positively impacted by IOceans’ educational events.

This Saturday, 7 June, Olwethu will step into a new role - that of programme director.

He will lead more than 40 local children during a fun-filled morning of marine discovery and conservation.

The activities, designed to commemorate World Environment Day, which is on 5 June, and World Oceans Day, which is on 8 June, will take place at the Dias Maritime Museum, the aquarium area of the Shell Museum and on Santos Beach.

Children aged eight to 13 of Isalathiso Primary School, the Ikhaya Sports Foundation, Sea Cadets and the wider community will take part in pirate-themed games, an interactive museum tour, a ‘treasure tabletop hunt’ and beach relays.

For more information, visit www.ioceantrust.org or contact Andrea Bradfield (082 077 8702), the director of IOceans Trust.

Each child will be given some free hot soup and a bread roll to round off the morning of learning and laughter.

Bradfield said: “As we mark World Environment Day and World Oceans Day, it’s vital we help young people understand the importance of protecting our ocean, not just for fun today, but for the future of our planet.”

Olwethu in action in front of the camera.