In March 2017, award-winning South African actress and joy catalyst Nicola Jackman took her environmental education theatre show MAfrika to Gansbaai Primary. It was part of an outreach component to Greenpop's Reforest Fest, which had just taken place the month before at Platbos Forest in the Overberg, near Gansbaai. The Two Oceans Aquarium once again supported the Reforest Fest’s waste management component (allowing them to host an almost-zero-waste event) and also sponsored R10 000 towards taking MAfrika to Gansbaai in an effort supply a fun learning experience to the children at the school.

Tracey Muscat, Hayley McLellan and Virginia Buse of the Two Oceans Aquarium at this year's Greenpop Reforest Fest

Nicola calls herself a “performing heart-ist” and the theatre show and book that she created traces the journey of a “tree being” called MAfrika from a fantastical land as she teaches children of all ages to be caretakers of all lands. Considering that MAfrika is sort of a tree, teaming up with GreenPop was a no-brainer, and “being able to bring this incredible performance to the festival children and to the local Gansbaai community was very meaningful,” says Greenpop Managing Director Lauren O'Donnell.

Photo by Jason-Paul Photography

“Gansbaai Primary is an amazing school,” says Nicola. “Previously disadvantaged schools are the first choice for MAfrika shows, and these children and the staff are so deserving of theatre and the gifts that shows like MAfrika bring. We chose Gansbaai Primary as they already have eco-clubs and even a food garden at the school. The kids loved it! They were totally engaged for the entire 40 minutes and were even shouting ‘I love you’ in MAfrika's language.”

MAfrika with some Gansbaai Primary kids

Nicola was even so kind as to promote our Rethink the Bag campaign, which is all about saying no to the single-use plastic bag: “At the end of the show that day, MAfrika said: ‘Please let's help each other to stop using plastic bags – it’s making the land and so many animals sick. Will you help?’ They all put up their hands!”

This is entertainment with meaning. MAfrika’s core values, says Nicola, are “to let go of fear, to breathe, take yourself lightly, surrender and choose to love all beings and all things.”

Thank you Greenpop for always welcoming us to the annual Reforest Fest (see you next year!) and for introducing us to the inspirational MAfrika.