Twenty schools in Mitchells Plain have gone green and are battling it out for their share of R50 000.
The annual Green Generation Recycled Fashion Show was held at the Liberty Promenade Mall on Saturday where learners showed off their designs made of recycled waste.
The theme this year was “drugs is trash”, and with substance abuse being such a big problem among our youth, raising awareness about this devastating social scourge has become a priority, says Dorothea Wright, General Manager for Liberty Promenade.
“The benefit of the event is that learners are encouraged to be resourceful in re-using discarded material. And we hope they will begin to recycle,” she says.
“Drugs can have a devastating effect on the individual, families, communities and societies, and we think it’s important to get this message out at school level, while learners are still crafting their world view. The idea behind partnering with the Cape Town Drug Counselling Centre and having them at the event is to make it easier for those who need help to get it.”
The 20 Plain schools each selected two learners, one to model the design and the other to carry a poster.
Some of the more creative posters read: “If you do cocaine, you go insane”, “don’t huff, don’t puff, don’t use that stuff”, “you use you lose” and “up with hope, down with dope” among others.
Learners explained how they came up with their designs, and what they have learnt from the project.
They used anything from recycled black bags, bubble wrap and cardboard to make their klere en skoene.
Tiffany Adams, 13, from Montague Primary wore a blue dungaree made of bubble wrap and a neck piece of pencil crayons, while her hair was plaited with shoelaces.
“I designed this outfit myself,” she says proudly.
“I chose a dungaree because it’s hip and trendy and it should appeal to some young people who think drugs are hip and trendy.”
You can vote for your favourite by visiting the Liberty Promenade Facebook page.
Participating Schools
Alpine Primary, Cedar High School, Cornflower Primary, Eastville Primary, Eisleben Road Primary, Hyacinth Primary, Lantana Primary, Lentegeur High, Liesbeeck Primary, Mitchells Plain School of Skills, Mondale High School, Montagu Drive Primary , Northwood Primary, Oval North High School, Portland Primary, Wavecrest Primary, Woodville Primary , Yellowwood Primary.