Two brilliant young environmental reporters have done incredible work that has just earned them major national bragging rights!
South Africa (25 May 2026) – Seeing the world through the eyes of our youth is a hopeful thing.
Two of South Africa’s brightest have found creative ways to inform people and inspire them to care about the environment. Now, their ideas are going global!
WESSA (the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) has officially announced the national winners of the 2026 Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) Competition. This year, the international spotlight was on the massive topic of food security and climate change.
Two superstars stepped up to the plate, using their voices and lenses to show us how everyday choices can change the world.
Alyssa Govenden, a 12-year-old from Crawford International Lonehill in Gauteng, took home the top prize in the Podcast Category!
Alyssa’s winning audio story, wonderfully titled ‘Wasting Food Ruins the Mood’ tackles a heavy topic with encouragement. She dives into the connection between climate change, rising food prices, and the reality of hunger in South Africa. But instead of only pointing out the sad facts, Alyssa focuses on how easy it is for all of us to help. By simply buying only what we need and sharing extra food, she advocates that small, daily choices add up to big waves of change.
Then we have Palesa Mosegedi, a talented 13-year-old from Segwaneng Primary School in the Northern Cape, who snapped the national title in the Photography Category.
Palesa’s winning photograph of World Food Day celebrated at Segwaneng Primary School captures the happy, hopeful moment when fellow learners proudly harvest vegetables from their school food garden. Her photograph shows what happens when school grounds turn into green spaces for learning, nutrition, and community.
Related Stories
Christmas Wishes Are Still Waiting to Come True for Over 1100 Shelter Animals
Angel Project Transforms 240 Animal Lives in Just 3 Days
Both Alyssa and Palesa will now be taking their incredible projects to the global stage, representing South Africa in the international YRE competition!
Having young people focus on environmental issues is what the world needs. They bring fresh, relatable perspectives to an important conversation. When kids like Alyssa and Palesa bring hope through framing the positive ways in which we can all make a difference for the environment, they’re inspiring a better future for the planet and humankind. This is especially important amongst the world’s future leaders and change-makers.
Programs like the YRE are building those leadership skills of the future. Through the journey, young reporters get to sharpen their critical thinking, writing, editing, and photography skills. It opens up doors to exciting future career paths in environmental law, research, investigative journalism, and social justice.
By giving our youth the tools and the platform to tell stories that matter, we’re raising awareness for today and empowering the leaders of tomorrow!
A massive congratulations to Alyssa and Palesa – we are waving the South African flag high for you both as you head to the international stage.
“This year’s winning entries beautifully reflect the heart of the YRE programme: young people using journalism to investigate real environmental issues and inspire practical action. Through a podcast on food waste and a photograph capturing learners harvesting from a school garden, these young reporters have shown that food security and climate action are not distant issues. They are part of everyday life in our schools and communities,” says Nomfundo Ndlovu,Schools & Youth Senior Programme Manager at WESSA.
by 
