uMhlanga teenager ready for Antarctic conservation journey
Keira King, a Crawford International La Lucia learner, will also be joining four other learners from around the country and renowned explorer Riaan Manser on the six-day adventure dubbed ‘Matrics in Antarctica’.
UMHLANGA teenager Keira King is all set for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure by travelling to Antarctica this Friday to learn more about sustainability and conservation.
Keira, a Crawford International La Lucia learner, will also be joining four other learners from around the country and renowned explorer Riaan Manser on the six-day adventure dubbed ‘Matrics in Antarctica’.
The initiative was created to help inspire young people to learn about how they can make a difference to the environment in their communities.
Also read: WATCH: Durban North paddler has magical encounter with pod of dolphins
Not only will Keira be learning about the Antarctic, but she will join her fellow learners exploring its beauty, hiking, taking part in science experiments and participating in a litter- cleaning initiative.
“I’m so honoured to have been chosen to travel to Antarctica and to represent Durban and KZN. Being given this opportunity to make a difference in the world is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Initially, I didn’t know about the adventure until a family friend sent it to my parents, saying I have to do it. The more I looked into this, the more excited I got. The Antarctic is a vital cog in the world’s ecosystem, and given the rising sea-levels due to global warming, this journey is about conservation and sustainable practices as well as inspiring others to do their bit to preserve our ecosystem. We will also be installing solar panels at our base camp, which is something I’m most looking forward to because I’ve never done that before,” she said.
Keira was chosen from thousands of entries across the country and explained how the process worked.
“After I entered, I was chosen for the Top 100 where we had to write an essay on sustainable packaging and how you can bring it into your community. I was then selected for the Top 50, which involved a video submission about what you can do to make a change for the environment. That was cut down to the Top 12 where they looked at a combination of your video and essay and then the Top 5 which was an interview process,” she explained.
Earlier this year, Keira paddled 46km from Salmon Bay in Ballito to uShaka Pier in Durban on a long-distance prone board to raise funds for the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB).
Incredibly, she has raised R45 500, with a target of R50 000, through her Paddle4Penguins initiative.
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