We come from nature. The elements that make this world around us are also within us. So it’s only logical that when we’re outside, with the fresh air filling our lungs, we feel at peace. We are home. Though Vanessa Jooste grew up experiencing extreme poverty, she found solace up mountain paths and beneath the leafy roofs of trees. She attributes her passion for the earth to her family. “My father taught us the love of nature and books,” Jooste says. “That helped us to not see the ugliness.” It’s also led her to liberating other children on outdoor expeditions.
Over a decade ago, Jooste established Kingdom Kidz Construction Ministry, an NPO which connects with children from Cape Town’s most gang-infested areas. She uses experiences from her past to alleviate their hardships, taking them on adventures such as hiking, forest walks, and simply playing among nature. “It helps them, listening and just being,” Jooste says. “You see them changing and it happens in front of your eyes.”
Jooste is offering communities a healthy recreational alternative that’s improving their quality of life and enabling them to become environmentally aware. “New places inspire a change of perspective,” Jooste says. “It connects them with peace.” Nature nurtures, always.
Please sign in to leave a comment