Olli places great value on education and challenging our youth to collaborate.  There is something wonderful in having young people in schools across provinces and borders working together in support of the same goal.  We believe that moulding our young people to be conservation minded should be a priority and are excited by the work that is being produced in support of our cause.  The world needs more Ian Players, Will Fowlds, Dave Coopers… ethical, motivated Conservation Heroes.  Men motivated by passion for a cause that goes beyond themselves, driven to preserve and conserve despite the challenges and disappointments. 
 
Through our Challenge we not only hope to encourage our youth to think about these issues, but to form an opinion and to find a way to express it through their talents and resources. We have been given wonderful representations from art pieces, brochures, poems, video clips to being the focus of a flash mob at Eden College’s Eco Fest in KZN to watching an excerpt from their drama focused on rhino poaching through Acting for Rhinos.  The future is full of hope when we see how passionate our young people are and the potential they have at such a young age to make a difference.

At the Homecoming a Message of Unity in Conservation was handed over to Mayor Trollip from eThekweni’s Mayor Gumede.  This was in reciprocation to a message taken by Wayne from Mayor Trollip to eThekweni.  Along with this Message our youth handed Mayor Trollip their own Messages of Unity in Conservation…

Collegiate Junior Primary gave Mayor Trollip a badge representing Olli which was made using recycled bottle tops.  The Eco Club made these and sold them to the students as a fundraising effort to raise money for their rhino calf, Grey, which they support along with Grey Junior School.  They have raised R3 000 for Care for Wild Africa.  The initiative to produce a badge, a statement of their stance on conservation, using recycling was wonderful.  To involve the rest of their school who then purchased and wore their badge proudly showing their support was a wonderful idea that not only inspired others to take a stand but also generated funds.  One of their students raised money through their Market Day and then donated her profits to Care for Wild Africa.  These are exciting examples of young people with conservation minded hearts. A group of girls from Collegiate handed over Mayor Trollip’s badge which he proudly fixed to his jacket.

Grey Junior School was the first school to partner with Olli and their enthusiastic approach has been most encouraging.  They were represented at our launch where along with other school representatives the second ring was placed on Olli’s horn (our fibreglass rhino). Headmaster Mr Pearson, Teacher Mr Smythe and Student Timothy Bolton were part of this symbolic step. Grey was the school where Olli launched the School Challenge in the Eastern Cape.   The first art pieces from Grey showed the partnership between this conservation minded school and Olli and James Pearse (Grade 1) handed over these art pieces to Mayor Trollip. Grey supports the rhino calf, Grey, along with Collegiate Junior Primary.

Clarendon Park has collaborated with Olli since the first expedition 2015/2016.  They raised R12 000 for Care for Wild Africa and have continued to support this year’s initiative.  Clarendon students have been producing the most amazing work which can be seen under their rhino calf Twinkle.  Their teachers have challenged them to think about questions like:  Where would a rhino be safe? Which has been translated into beautiful artwork that is quite poignant.  Brochures have been produced showing how children as young as 9 feel about this critical issue and Amy Bresler presented Mayor Trollip with her heartfelt message, parts of which he read out at the Homecoming.  A message from a child which clearly resonated with a man of influence who appreciated and acknowledged its value.

Woodridge Preparatory School have a special involvement with OLLI since they are an example of a collective contribution by a school that was initiated by an individual student. Brandon Booth of Woodridge followed our previous expedition and approached us to cycle with Wayne on the first day of this year’s expedition.  He got involved with the Olli Team in representing Olli and educating the public on rhino poaching with visits to local PE shopping malls and along with other personal initiatives, he raised money by having the kms cycled sponsored.  As a 13 year old he had never cycled further than 50kms but that day he cycled 110kms.  During the first stretch of the cycle Brandon was supported by two of the Woodridge teachers.  The day was challenging as 4 of the 20 parks on Wayne’s route would be connected.  At 50kms Brandon considered stopping as he did not want to slow down the adults supporting Wayne on the first day. Through support and encouragement from the cyclists and his mom and grandfather along with sheer determination Brandon completed another 50kms… a wonderful example of how we shouldn’t underestimate the human spirit. Brandon has since been invited to address 3^rd Year Education Students at the Missionvale Campus (NMU) along with Nikki Bolton.  Here he spoke to them about his experience and showed our future teachers that they have wonderful opportunities ahead of them to mould and inspire future generations on the vital importance of conservation and the capacity they have to do extraordinary things.

Brandon personally raised over R5 000 and challenged his peers at Woodridge to match what he had achieved which they accomplished. Wayne received the cheque which is now over R10 000 for Care for Wild Africa at a special World Rhino Day Assembly at Woodridge. 

At the OLLI Frontier Rhino Ride's Homecoming at the Donkin Reserve, a group of Woodridge students presented Mayor Trollip with a special representation of poems written by their students which can be seen on our webpage under the rhino calf Wyntir which is supported by Woodridge along with Eden College in KZN.  We are sure that Mayor Trollip must have felt a great sense of pride as a Woodridge Old Boy, to see the passion and drive demonstrated by his old school in matters that are close to his heart.

Examples of the schools representation can be seen under different rhino names where different schools are represented.

These include schools participating in the challenge in the Eastern Cape and KZN. 

We hope to include more school going forward into 2018 and have children across borders

working together to make a difference in our conservation landscape for future generations.

If you know of a school that would like to collaborate they can reach us at nikki@oneland.co.za