Vuyelwa Nandipha, South Africa, Positive Tracks Next Gen | Undergraduate student majoring in Social Science Geography and Environmental Management at the University of KwaZulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg: My passions in life consist of protecting the environment and assisting people through sharing the knowledge I have obtained from University. I come from a  community and home where education and assisting people especially those who are in need is an important aspect of life. The environment is a beautiful natural world that has the ability to cater for plant and animal species, as well as humans. I strongly believe it is our duty to manage and preserve the environment, as well as help spread the knowledge we posse to disadvantaged and uneducated communities, as they highly depend on the environment as their only source of food, employment, medicinal use, sense of belonging, spiritual and traditional aspects.

I am intrigued to take part in the 2015 Lost Mountain Symposium because environmental management and assisting communities is my passion. I strongly believe in the missions and objectives of this company as it implements better ways to conserve the environment through multi-disciplinary ways, as well as help communities who strongly  depend on the environment as a source of aesthetic value, food, water, medicinal purposes and employment.  I am enthusiastic to learn with virtuous knowledge of environmental systems, along with the ability to work well with other individuals as a team.

What’s a Positive Tracks Next Gen? These are our Next Gen’s who are 23 and younger and are therefor qualified to have their fundraising dollars matched by Positive Tracks— a national, youth-centric nonprofit that helps young people get active and give back using the power of sport and adventure. In 2015 Positive Tracks, together with our outdoor industry partners, will double every dollar Next Gen Symposium participants fundraise until we have $90,000 for innovative integrated conservation.