Sci-Bono – the largest science centre in Southern Africa, opened its arms and dug deep into their pockets to give Ikamvanites the unforgettable lessons of their lives. Free transport, tour to the centre, visit to Palaeo Sciences at Wits University and a goodies box to top it all, what more to ask for this season of goodwill.
Tour to the centre – What? Can you cycle a stationary bicycle to generate power enough to light your bulb, play your TV and radio, to switch on your fan and remember if you stop cycling then you invite load shedding into your seating room. I think South Africa can be the healthiest nation in the whole world; do you share the same sediments?
Survival of the fittest in the animal kingdom – watching a video on a big screen highlighting the co-existence between crocodiles and hippos in the dams, the hunters and the hunted, struggling for water and survival helped the children to empathise with other animals.
Bubbling maths concepts – Mrs Bubbles (the clown) took time out to teach maths in the funniest way ever imagined. If you think maths is hard and boring, think again or get hold of Mrs Bubbles’ manual for making maths teaching fun.
What’s in the bones – Traditional healers throw bones to read messages from the ancestors. Palaeontologists study bones to close the gaps within different stages of evolution and to answer questions of origin, because if we don’t know where we come from we will never know where we are going to. Vuyiswa and Alex took Ikamvanites through an exciting story of fossils and origins of human kind.
And the show goes on – trip to Sci-Bono inspired endless debates and discussions from the bus until IvoryPark.
Lloyd Lungu