The IR Griffith Primary School in Blairgowrie recognised a need for grass cuttings to be donated to animals in South Africa’s drought-stricken areas. Shireen Heillberg and Gail Lutz from the student governing body of the school started the donations at the end of January.
The school made space on its grounds to place the grass in a designated area. According to Heillberg, they are working alongside AgriSA and the Hope Grass initiative to distribute the cuttings in areas all over the country where it is needed most. “We already managed to collect about five bakkie-loads of grass cuttings,” said Heillberg. She explained that the cuttings should be dried or freshly mowed for it to be used. Hope Grass then collects it and compresses it. “One compressed cube of grass cuttings is enough to sustain an animal for one month,” said Heillberg. The grass cuttings need to be at least 10cm high for it to be used.
Heillberg believes that the drought will still be affecting farmers and animals for a long time, even though some parts of the country has had rain. “Some animals in drought-stricken areas have to be slaughtered, because farmers can’t feed them,” said Heillberg. This project and other community projects at the school teach the pupils valuable lessons. “It teaches the children about giving back and not only getting. Children in this era are used to getting what they want, but they have to learn to give back to a local or national community,” said IR Griffith Primary School Principal, Margarida Lopes.
Heilberg said that people should keep on giving grass cuttings and take it to the school between 7am and 8am or between 4pm and 6pm, where Amos Khumalo, a terrain worker at the school, will take the cuttings to the designated area.
Details: IR Griffith Primary School, 011 787 5933.
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