Hike encourages safety and care of environment

Take Back Our Mountains (TBOM), a local non-profit that ensures a safe hiking environment, hosted a beach clean-up in aid of International Coastal Clean-up Day held annually on the third Saturday of September.

TBOM founder, Taahir Osman, said the clean-up of Karbonkelberg and Duiker Island was done in partnership with Mutheera’s Projects in Ocean View and Hout Bay residents on Saturday September 21.

Mr Osman said due to the high crime rate on Duiker Island, it is not frequented by hikers and they thought it would be a good idea to clean the area.

Established in 2018, TBOM promotes safety by hiking in numbers.

“Mutheera’s Projects rounded up youth for the clean-up and we could show them the importance of keeping a clean and safe environment. We firmly believe that by maintaining ecological balance, we can contribute to the sustainability of our natural treasures,” he said, adding that TBOM aims to clean those areas more often.

He said TBOM organises educational youth hikes, where children and adults can learn about the environment, local flora and fauna, and the significance of conservation efforts.

Mutheera Fortune, of Mutheera’s Projects, said the hike gave children the opportunity to learn about the environment.

“It’s important to teach the children that it’s not only about receiving but about doing their bit for the environment and ultimately teaching them to care more while exploring,” she said, adding that it was the first hike for many of the children.

“The children were very enthusiastic and I’m grateful to the team of TBOM for going out of their way to pay for our transport and accommodate my kiddies, making sure they were well fed and looked after from beginning to end,” she said.