This time last year, CWBR welcomed the 2019 class students from Lycée Athénée de Luxembourg for the schools fourth annual trip to the Western Cape, South Africa. The purpose, a cultural exchange and to part-take in the educational projects in the Winelands that the schools NGO, Athénée Action Humanitaire (AAH), funds in partnership with Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve.

Two weeks packed with activities, landscapes, and meeting people from all backgrounds to enrich not only the Luxies experience but the locals as well. A sharing of life experiences, exchange of knowledge, laughs, and culture.

The trip gives opportunity for the Luxembourg students, who have studied South African history, fauna and flora, ecology, and culture for a year, a chance to experience what they have learned first-hand.

It is also an opportunity for the students and teachers to see the projects and meet the people who have changed their own lives through the opportunities given by the AAH Edulink project. Seeing the effect of the collaboration first-hand.

Though the trip could not take place this year, due to the situation the world finds itself in because of COVID-19, here are some of the memorable moments captured by the students and teachers while travelling through the Western Cape in 2019, to be enjoyed from your couch at home.  

When asked to describe South Africa in one word.

Amazing. Beautiful. Breath-taking. Crazy. Complicated. Diverse. Enriching. Extraordinary. Fun. Impressive. Overwhelming. The different landscapes.

A day at Care Career Connection

Kitchen Workshop

Horticultural Garden

Artisan Workshop

Education through Project Engagement

FGASA & Life Skills students

The Data Collection Project

Adventure

Pontoon moved by hand

Ancient Landscapes

Kayaking

Zip-lining

Experience Different Landscapes

Franschhoek Valley

Table Mountain Cape Town

Vast Landscapes Garden Route

Biodiversity and Knowledge about Conservation

King Protea

Alien & Indigenous Vegetation

Protea

Cultural Exchange

Tour of Mandela’s House

Four individuals who had a big impact on history

Cultural Exchange Point of Human Origin

Animals and Conservation Efforts

Lion

Lioness

Zebra

South African Penguin

The setting sun over Cape Town seen from the airplane window on the way back to Europe

Two volunteers from a University in the Netherlands joined the CWBR a couple of years ago, for an internship. Dirk and Elina studied Environmental Science for Sustainable Energy and Technology, and contributed to several projects at the CWBR.

They have now graduated, and we want to congratulate them both for their great success!

Elina: “Our course prepared us to find solutions for different sectors to become more sustainable. The aim of each project is to find financially feasible solutions, considering future developments, techniques, and local policies. The course qualified us as environmental engineers, who could for example work in an environmental consultancy, as an Environment, Health and Safety advisor, or as a government policy developer.

My project at CWBR was to design and analyse a circular wastewater purification system (Aquatron) that could be used under the effects of South African climate conditions. The installations were mainly focused on squatter camps and townships, where hygiene and safety are big issues. As awesome and innovative, as the team at CWBR is, we also built a house to mimic these squatter camp living conditions to give visitors a more concrete idea of the research.

I have now moved back to my origins, and I am currently looking for my first job in an environmental field. Issues like global warming and biodiversity loss interest me. I have focused my studies on solutions such as carbon neutrality for different entities and circular economy’s, which I would like to continue working with. 

As far as I am concerned, our planet is craving problem-solvers, and I am more motivated than ever to act upon it. I also hope that our cooperation with CWBR will continue, and together we can work towards our common goal.”

Dirk: -“I am still deciding what career path to take. During my graduation project the hands-on experience I gained in SA helped me quite a bit. For my final University project, I designed, built, and tested a physical model where the effects of ecosystems on a dyke breach can be tested. I very much enjoy field work.

During my time in South Africa, I spent a lot of time in the workshop, building an evaporation, solar power fridge. This sparked something in me and made me realize I enjoy working with my hands. “

A few moments looking back at Elina’s project, the centrifugal toilet, and her time with CWBR

A few moments looking back at Dirk’s time with CWBR and his project: a coal fridge which became a weather station at Jan Marais Park Eco Centre