ROOOOAAARR!!!! I want climate justice now!

By Dani Thompson

Today, Sam Parker, Maggie Reese and I casually met up with volunteers from tck tck tck and Climate Action Network (CAN) on the Addington each in Durban. Oh? Did I mention we were also joined by over 2,000 South African school kids? The gathering was an action dubbed “Africa Roars”. It was a mass gathering of people “roaring” for climate change by forming a giant lion head in the sand. The shape of the lion also represented a the need for youth to be courageous in demanding climate justice!

Now that I have told you the passion and care which went into the planning of this action, and a picture to prove that it was actually completed, I will tell you what it was REALLY like to be  a part of the lion in the sand. One word I would use to sum it all up is desperate. It was hot… I mean really hot. I mean two weeks before the summer solstice at 30 degrees south latitude at NOON hot. You get the picture. Having 2,000+ kids sitting in the hot sun and sand for two hours while an artist and frantic volunteers try to arrange them on taped-out lines is not an easy task, especially when the event planners neglected to realize that kids tend to need water and bathrooms. Some of the volunteers went to go get jugs of water and cups, but it seemed imposiible that we could get to all of the thirsty children! The time I spent volunteering ended up being a race to fill hundreds of styrophoam cups with water for the kids. I cant tell you how awful it was every time my jug of water ran out and I had to tell a thirsty little boy that I had nothing to give him. It made me sad and scared for the things I will see next week when we travel north to do our service project at a South African Orphanage.

Here is one more picture of the lion to send you on your way…look for Maggie, Sam and I! Its like Where’s Waldo, but more impossible and less fun!