EASTER Action was established to connect people with the natural world and inspire passion for environmental stewardship.
The organization’s mission is fueled by the Founding Director’s deep love for nature and for young people, complemented by her professional qualifications and experience in biology, human health, climate change, and education. It began with publishing a book on insects, to share her enthusiasm for insects and biodiversity, and hosting interactive educational and outreach activities. Since then the scope has expanded, with climate change now forming a key focus area.
The founding directors established EASTER Action as a formal entity to sustain and grow this public awareness work, providing the legal structure to upscale activities, collaborate with other organizations and access funding, with a dedicated work plan.
Key milestones
Over the course of years, a simple private passion for insects became a desire to spread enthusiasm and share knowledge with others, then to join forces with the like-minded, and ultimately to build something that could grow and become sustainable in the long term.
2008: After working for 15 years in medical research, Marlies suddenly becomes a mother of three, and opts for full-time parenthood. She starts home-schooling her children and gets experience in the explorative, innovative, enquiry-based teaching/learning methods common in non-formal education.
2008-2016: Marlies writes and self-publishes a book on insects.
“I love everything that ‘lives and moves and has its being’, and I adore the creator of it all. With this book I want to share that passion.” – MC
December 2016: Marlies is invited to present her book at the eThekwini Biodiversity Forum. The first 10 copies are sold. Several attendees encourage her to offer public awareness events on insects.
“What I thought was the end (finishing the book) turned out to be just the beginning.” – MC
December 2016: First event with children aged 6-16.
“I thought it would be boring, but it was so amazing!” – Learner
February 2017: First event with adult public, at Durban Botanical Gardens: Insects are everywhere – or are they?
“I have been a member of the Bot Soc for decades, and until today I didn’t really understand why alien plants are such a problem. Thank you for finally explaining it so it makes sense!” – Pensioner
A period of regular interactive public engagements and events on insects and biodiversity follows. People love the photos and videos of insects and enjoy the insect hunts. Marlies becomes known locally as the ‘Bug Doctor’ or the ‘Insect Lady’.
At one outdoor event with high school learners, young children walk away from a birthday party happening nearby, to watch and participate. This spontaneous enthusiasm and interest at a young age, confirms children’s innate fascination with nature (a phenomenon called ‘biophilia’), and shows what we need to tap into when it comes to environmental education.
At a lecture at UKZN School of Education for 300-400 trainee teachers, students respond with enthusiasm, particularly to photos and videos of live insects, which illustrates the universal fascination with this ubiquitous but often overlooked life form, and the need for quality ‘live’ teaching resources.
Enthusiasm from educators underscores the need for an educational curriculum enrichment programme. The UKZN School of Education and DoE science subject advisor endorse a plan for interactive teaching materials, ideally linked to the CAPS curriculum, that include practical activities.
Marlies starts working on an insect-focussed educational programme to teach on biology and biodiversity, with hands-on activities. The programme is initially called Bug to School, then renamed to 2020Vision, working towards a launch in 2020, UNESCO Super Year for Biodiversity.
December 2017: She presents her ideas to CASME, WESSA and Eco-Schools. Marlies and CASME sign a memorandum of understanding submit a funding proposal to pilot and roll out the programme, but the proposal is unsuccessful and the idea for 2020Vision is shelved for the time being.
In the process it has become clear that a formal legal entity would enable effective collaboration with other organizations and help access funding. Marlies decides to create a not-for-profit organization through which to operate, and a legal home for educational resources and activities.
February 2018: With her children returning to mainstream school, the family needs a second income and Marlies returns to formal employment. She joins the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as Science Officer. For 5+ years she is immersed in the current global science on climate change.
November 2019: EASTER Action NPC is registered, with co-directors Nina Hunter and Anwen Cunningham, both passionate about the environment, with valuable professional expertise. A few months later PBO status is obtained.
EASTER Action is founded just as the Covid-19 pandemic starts. Lockdown prevents other engagements, so the new organization responds by donating food parcels, releasing a Covid-19 information booklet, and advising a local retirement home.
Marlies partners with the Durban Natural Science Museum on a temporary exhibition on insects, which features the content she has presented over the years. It goes up in 2020-2021.
2020: As part of her IPCC work, and using her prior skills in self-publishing, Marlies leads the production of a booklet on climate change action, called What I Can Do About Climate Change, with Nina Hunter as second author.
Marlies and Nina play leading roles in Africa-wide IPCC-related outreach and communication activities on climate change.
2021-2024: As soon as pandemic lockdown is relaxed, Marlies starts reaching out to the public on this urgent topic. A period of public engagements on climate change follows, involving her existing network of local environmental groups.
2021: In her private capacity, she starts working on the What I Can Do (WICD) About Climate Change ‘Edu-action’ Programme on climate change, similar in principle to the 2020Vision programme, with many hands-on activities. She starts piloting the interactive presentations and activities in various settings.
Educators (including teachers, DoE subject advisors, UKZN School of Education) express interest in an educational programme on climate change that is easy to teach, locally relevant and engaging, with hands-on activities.
June 2022: The booklet is used during a climate change induction workshop to inform eThekwini municipal councillors on personal climate action.
On Youth Day, at a climate action and activism workshop run by the South African Youth Climate Change Coalition, Marlies hands out copies of the booklet, and presents the plans for the WICD Edu-action Programme.
February 2023: Marlies participates and presents at an Edu-action Indaba, supported by eThekwini municipality and Green Corridors. The big question is: How do we build awareness and encourage action? She introduces the WICD edu-action programme.
December 2023: A year later the Environmental Education & Public Awareness Network (EEPAN) of around 100 environmental education / public awareness practitioners is launched. EASTER Action becomes a member organization. The EEPAN co-ordinating committee embraces the plan for an educator workshop and climate expo.
March 2024: WESSA ask Marlies to present the key note address at their KZN EcoSchools Award Ceremony, where Kloof High School is awarded their first EcoSchools ‘Green Flag’.
May 2024: Kloof High School asks Marlies for help implementing environmental education in all subjects. They want to increase their engagement in this area. Marlies does an event with all 65 teachers. What worked well?
“the practically and relevance of the topic and how it relates to the educational space”, “interactive and engaging”, “activities were an eye opener”, “should be an ongoing initiative” – teacher feedback
The school commit to partnering on the WICD programme, starting with a co-production workshop with subject heads, and hosting a multiplier workshop for other schools.
It is now June 2024, and we have many exciting plans and ideas. Watch this space!
EASTERaction 