Curro Hillcrest learner makes a world of change

02 November 2023

With a willing heart to preserve our environment for generations to come, Curro Hillcrest learner Jade Paton launched her special recycling project. With help from her CUM community, Jade embarked on a 2x2m globe made from metal with the continents made from recycled plastic.

According to the Grade 9 learner, The Globe symbolises a few things. "The Globe acts as a collection point for plastic in our community. The plastic collected from The Globe gets taken to a site in Molweni where they separate the different types of plastic and colours, etc. It then gets bought by a company to be made into plastic products that get sold back to our community, such as clothing hangers, fidget toys and more," she explained.

Jade's project results from an art project she had in the second term where they had to use waste to make a litter monster. "I loved that project making my litter into a new life. This got me thinking about how litter and rubbish are taking over, changing environments and weather, and overall having a negative impact on the world. I have always dreamed of travelling the world, seeing new places, natural beauty, different cultures, and people. In my opinion, the places our parents saw or even what we see now will be different to what someone who goes there 10 years later will see. Although there are many reasons for this, the main one is due to pollution," she said.

After a while of brainstorming, the CUM learner said she realised she wanted to make a difference. She wanted to come up with something that would be accessible, not only for Curro Hillcrest learners, but the whole community. "I worked hard putting together a plan to present to my principal, Mr Belnran. I got permission to find a supplier who could make The Globe, do the budgeting and get all the necessary information to move forward with the project. Funds were raised from the CUM Cares Walk. After a final meeting with some Curro staff members, we started the building process.

"This does not only help keep our community clean but helps rubbish get a new lease on life and gives the people of Molweni more economic opportunities. All the plastic collected gets recycled into new products for the community, instead of ending up in a landfill for thousands of years this overall makes our environment a better place," she said.

Jade extended her gratitude to CUM Hillcrest for supporting her vision. "This is one of the footprints I not only leave at Curro Hillcrest but leave on our beautiful planet. I hope to see this project flourish and the community come together to make it a cleaner, more positive place. Let's leave it better than how we found it," she said.

Article source: Highway Mail