During the world’s first Youth Rhino Summit, 12 Uplands College pupils leant their voices to a resolution formed in order to fight rhino poaching and aid conservation. They counted among 140 teenage delegates from countries around the world who gathered at the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal.
The students who were carefully selected for their leadership skills and passion for making a difference were Brandon Cordeiro, Jared Adams, Andrew Mullins, Robert Fletcher, Delano van Rooyen, Josh Rogers, Lisa Thomson, Leigh Torre, Emma van der Meulen, Robyn Forte, Sarah Pepworth and Megan Potgieter.
The venue for the conference was very significant, as it was the site where Dr Ian Player released the first white rhino into the reserve, many years ago.
Speakers included Dr William Fowld, on his personal struggle to save the rhino, Ted Reilly on the power of political will in Swaziland, Dr Paula Kahumbu of Kenya on the plight of the Kenyan elephant and similarities between them and SA rhino, as well as Dr Ian Player. Young teens like Julia Murray (13) and Olivia Taylor (16) also inspired the delegates, with Julia talking about raising R100 000 for the cause while living in Hong Kong and Olivia about starting her own NGO.
The delegates had group debates on critical issues around poaching such as trade, education and poverty. The goal was to get the pupils to debate the issues, formulate a plan, introduce a solution (on World Rhino Day) and then present a formal resolution to the deputy minister of environmental affairs on the final day of the summit.
Highlights for the Uplands College learners were meeting Dr Ian Player, petting orphaned baby rhino and knowing what they had achieved was taken seriously and could make a difference.
