December 20, 2024 Competitions, News
Lukhanyo Hub · Cape Town, South Africa
An innovative model for climate-adaptive community hubs
School grounds implemented as a sustainable green catalyst for the neighbourhood
Incremental approach and mutual trust
Our implementation strategy is based on a series of small, incremental interventions, supported by the daily involvement of stakeholders. Our efforts began with educational activities for schoolchildren and later involved older members of the community via the provision of professional trainings and job opportunities.
A crucial part of the process is the close collaboration with the local authorities, and above all, the Department of Education. This partnership is key to be able to repurpose school land for various social initiatives and external activities, all while establishing a connection with the standard educational curriculum.
The realisation of a football pitch for the kids of the neighbourhood and a vegetable garden serving the community kicked off the transformation of the land.
A climate-adaptive strategy tailored to the context of the South African townships
We have formulated a climate adaptation strategy for the community hub, featuring a set of cost-effective, climate-resilient tools. The primary goal of this strategy is to improve the local microclimate by introducing green spaces and implementing the concept of water circularity, involving the collection and reuse of rainwater. Additionally, the strategy seeks to restore a sustainable water cycle by dedicating specific areas for water infiltration, thereby replenishing the water table.
The first set of climate adaptive tools has been successfully implemented. It comprises of a hydroponic and aquaponic system, integrated with rainwater collection, serving to bolster the existing urban farm. This system enriches the farm with added nutrients and expands the variety of cultivated crops. Moreover, it fulfils a dual purpose by promoting environmental awareness among the students, who actively participate in its daily management, and by bringing tangible reduction on water costs.
Green spaces
A fundamental component of the vision is the implementation of green spaces that could provide the children with a more comfortable environment while also supporting the climate adaptation efforts.
In the autumn of 2019, school children, alongside Sebastiaan Messerschmidt, the Dutch consul, took the first steps by planting a cluster of young trees. Since then, we were able to continue this process by adding 24 additional trees and 90 lavender plants, thanks to the generosity of our mission’s supporters.
Our aspiration is that this process eventually yields an Ubuntu tree as a gathering place for children and the wider community. Ubuntu signifies generosity, hospitality, kindness, care, and compassion—an ethos focused on sharing what one has. This embodies the underlying vision: Creating a green hub as a method of planting hope, knowledge, and resilience. It represents an enduring commitment to uplift a community, empower its youth, and co-create a greener, more inclusive tomorrow.
