Athule Mazane, a 14-year-old student from Cape Town, South Africa, has become a well-known presenter on National Geographic’s pan-African children’s conservation program, Team Sayari. The show, a collaboration between Disney, National Geographic, and the U.S. government via USAID, aims to inspire the next generation of environmental conservation leaders by sharing valuable lessons about the world and how to care for it.
A Role Model for Young People
Athule has been recognized for his role in inspiring other young people to stand up for the planet. He has received numerous academic awards in Mathematics, English, and Life Skills, and has a passion for gardening, football, and learning about wildlife species. Acting U.S. Consul General to Cape Town, Stacey Barrios, commended Athule for his work on Team Sayari.
Celebrating the Environment
Team Sayari is a joint effort between National Geographic, The Walt Disney Company Africa, USAID, the U.S. State Department, and WildlifeDirect. Produced by Kenyan company White Rhino Films, the show aims to celebrate the environment and raise conservation awareness in an entertaining and relatable manner. By taking young viewers on adventurous journeys through wild spaces, the show features encounters with a wide array of wild animals.
Extending the Reach
The first series’s second part of Team Sayari will premiere on Disney Channel (DStv 303) on Monday, May 29, at 4 pm (CAT). To extend the series’s reach to schools in East Africa, an outreach program led by WildlifeDirect is currently underway. Dubbing is also in progress for Rwandan and Tanzanian audiences, who will soon be able to enjoy the series in Kinyarwanda and Kiswahili languages.
Inspiring a New Generation
By exposing young viewers to the world’s natural wonders through the eyes of Athule Mazane, Team Sayari hopes to inspire a new generation of environmental conservation leaders. General Manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa, Christine Service, praised Athule for bringing his love for the environment to viewers across the continent, embodying National Geographic’s 130-year-old mission of showcasing the natural world’s wonders and urging exploration.
