A group of Eastridge youth got to explore the mountainous beauty of Silvermine Nature Reserve on Saturday April 17.
They are the first of 60 young people, from Ward 79, including Beacon Valley and Eastridge, who will enjoy bird watching, photography and enjoy nature in Wolfgat and Helderberg nature reserves in the next month or two.
The outing was brought about by a partnership between the two reserves and Solomon Philander, councillor for Ward 79.
“It is important that our children are given the opportunity to see a different view of life,” he said.
It is part of an intervention to create an inclusive programme, where youth get an opportunity to be part of a community and contribute to it positively.
They will learn critical skills and be given a view to making better decisions for their future.
“Our youth would otherwise be stuck in the community sitting on the corners and going about life without being given the opportunity to see a different view of life,” said Mr Philander.
He said the nature reserve was on their doorstep.
“If used optimally our local youth and children will benefit from this positively.
Mitchell’s Plain has experts working for the City that can transfer the skills to the youth,” he said.