Well wishes to Heatherlands High School learner jetting off to Sweden
“Brighten the corner where you are”, is the message from DWS Western Cape Provincial Head Ntombizanele Bila-Mupariwa to 16-year-old Unam Halam from Heatherlands High School in George
Halam will be representing South Africa at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition in Sweden, on 30 August 2022 after she and her close friend and classmate, 17-year-old Faith Classen won the Department of Water and Sanitation’s science and technology-based South African Youth Water Prize (SAYWP) competition in May this year.
On Wednesday morning Bila-Mupariwa bid farewell to Halam, while unfortunately, Claasen will not be able to join her partner.
“I am very excited to be jetting off tomorrow though unfortunately without my partner, I will make sure I enjoy this experience for the both of us and put in double the amount of work that I was going to need to put in but most importantly make her proud”, Halam said.
Present at the meet and greet was the Heatherlands High School teacher that worked with the girls, Marissa Murphey, and Deputy Principal Moira Thesner.
Murphy spoke of how proud she is of the girls’ hard work.
“My two students, I am so proud of them,” Murphy beamed. “We really worked hard and I’m sorry that Faith can’t go with, but we will carry her in our hearts, but Unam is more than capable”.
She emphasises that the team is ready.
“We want to make you [DWS] proud, we want to make the Department of Basic Education proud and of course make South Africa proud because that is who we are representing”’ Murphy said.
As part of the well wishes Bila-Mupariwa said the task of competing with 30 countries across the world might seem as big as a mountain.
“But with hard work, you will make it to the peak. May good fortune smile on you throughout your journey”, Bila-Mupariwa encouraged.
“As you jet off to Sweden to compete with your counterparts, you are already winners to us, judging by your accomplishments thus far.
“However, I encourage you to put up a fierce fight and be the best on a world platform”, concluded Bila-Mupariwa.
For more information, contact Sputnik Ratau, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 082 874 2942
Source: Government of South Africa