I never received any formal higher education. I did not attend university, and though I do not regret much, I have always felt that a university education would have contributed greatly to my ability to learn, retain information and facts, and may have influenced my life choices and thus experience.
I never received any formal higher education. I did not attend university, and though I do not regret much, I have always felt that a university education would have contributed greatly to my ability to learn, retain information and facts, and may have influenced my life choices and thus experience.
My first inspiration was my dad. My father was Mr Universe…really, in fact three times over 21 years.
Reg had too many encouraging wisdoms to share now, but most notably he woke me very early every morning to tell me that I could do anything I wanted and be whoever I could be, if I saw the vision, focused, and worked hard. He gave me confidence and a flair for communications, all the while not using these to promote himself.
I spent my formative years and began my schooling in that polluted, grey northern UK. Later when we settled in Johannesburg, where we came for clear skies and good weather, I was fortunate enough to attend a decent school. I finished, Head Girl, and victrix ludorum, at 16, with a university entrance pass and a potential swimming scholarship to UCLA.
But, instead of seizing this opportunity, I saw myself as a flower child. I realized that all of life is interconnected, that we are one, and set out to see the beauty of this planet, explore diversity and meet people from all cultures. I chose the road less travelled, through countries certainly not considered idyllic holiday destinations.
My dear friend and a mentor, Rose Smuts, who is here tonight, says that while my formal education was not robust, I in fact attended the university of life.
I returned to South Africa for a few years in the 80s but soon had to leave again, unable to live under apartheid.
This time I alighted in Australia, with my then husband and three small children in tow. Having children encouraged me to look more directly at what we are doing on this planet and think about what kind of future we were leaving them to cope with.
I started reading and learning and felt moved to look out and start taking responsibility for more than just my small family. I realized I had great energy, had learned a lot through my life and travels and had developed my communications skills which had been used, until then, in supporting us.
I returned to the land of my birth in 1990, just before the release of a great hero, Nelson Mandela, who confirmed for me that ONE can change the world. I wanted to put down roots and contribute in some small way to the people of this country, which was then full of hope and optimism. I knew that this was the time to work from my passion, towards a dream of a more equitable, greener and healthier society and planet.
Almost as soon as we touched down, and against the advice of many who worried how, as an about to be single mother, I was going to support three children, I started Trees for Africa, later Food & Trees for Africa. It was an idea whose time had come. I quickly found people who believed in my dream, mentors and board members, many of whom stuck with me for 24 years.
I managed to convince some influential people to contribute funds, the new government of the time to include urban forestry and permaculture into their evolving policies, and the disadvantaged communities of the townships and rural areas to plant and care for trees and food gardens. And it has worked!
Millions of trees have been planted across the country where they were needed, and thousands of food gardens established. From the outset I realized that education should underpin all these efforts and so seeds were planted, not only in the earth, but perhaps more importantly, in people’s hearts and minds.
At the outset, in 1990, I tried to communicate the urgent need to act on climate change. It was an even harder sell then than it is today, yet we are still not acting fast enough, nor with any sense of urgency. The terrible forebodings backed by the world’s greatest science and all National Science Academies, are evident around us now.
We must act. As I have said for decades, If not now when?
I thus hope that you young people will use your valuable education well, innovate and create, improve lives, change the world! It begins with ONE and that ONE is you.
I am grateful to be here, in this moment, and would like to dedicate it to the memory of my late father Reg, and my late partner Frik. If here tonight, great men that they were, both would have had tears of pride in their eyes, not only for me, but for all of you who have a dream, a vision of a thriving planet. In honour of those dreams I humbly accept this doctorate.
