African Vision Foundation

• Cape to Richtersveld via Namaqualand   • Cape to Addo via Baviaanskloof
• Cape to Richtersveld via Auschenker, Namibia   • Cape to Karoo via 'die Hel'
• Cape to Kgalagadi via Riemvasmaak   • Cape to Tankwa – 2012
• Cape to Agulhas – 2012   • Cape to Groot Karoo via Vosburg – 2012

AFRICAN VISION FOUNDATION VISIT TO AGULHAS NATIONAL PARK 9TH – 11TH AUGUST 2012

The members of the African Vision Foundation, Ian & Debi Schoeman (Bondiblu) Paul & Sandra Slabbert and daughters, Kara & Mia, Jason & Robin Stonehewer and Eddie Cassani & Angela Altendorfer (SANParks Honorary Rangers Agulhas) assembled at Rietfontein by lunchtime on Thursday. During the afternoon Jason, who is a certified Marine Guide, working out of Pearly Beach where he lives, lead us on an interpretive beach walk in the direction of Die Dam. Eddie stayed behind to pump footballs in preparation for the next day’s community visits.

The next morning we were up and ready to leave by 9am for an appointment with the Buffeljags community. There we worked with a group of about 40 children. The session took the form of an interactive lesson by Jason on identification of various fauna which is present in their immediate environment using photographs and spoor. Paul also spoke to them about birds and took them outside to demonstrate how to make use of rubbish lying around to make a bird feeder. At the end of the session each child present received a brand new football. This format was repeated at the other communities we visited. A group of ± 30 elderly people were then given a simple eye test and fitted with reading glasses (sponsored by Bondiblu).

After lunch at Oppie Draai, a community restaurant in Buffeljags, we proceeded to Pearly Beach and a larger group of over 100 children and ±40 elderly people. Here we were able to make use of the pre-school classroom in the Community Centre for the eye tests so this was able to carry on concurrently with the children’s’ work session in the hall. Then it was back to Rietfontein to organize our evening meal and pump more balls! We were joined by Samantha Schröder, Senior Section Ranger Agulhas National Park, who spent the night with us.

By Friday evening the weather had taken a turn for the worse and there was torrential rain which continued on Saturday when we visited Onse Hoop centre in Struisbaai North. This visit had been facilitated by Henry Prince who had brought together a group of 60 children (grades 6 & 7) and about 30 elderly people, who all arrived in spite of the pouring rain. We had a lively session in the hall, enjoyed by both children and adults, followed by the fitting of readers whilst the children received their footballs outside. The visit ended with a very welcome bakkie of curry & rice for all the adults and boerewors rolls for the kids.

After this we all parted for home rather than brave the roads back to Rietfontein which had become rather “interesting” after the rain.