Flamingo Crescent Informal Settlement

 

The informal settlement of Flamingo Crescent in Lansdowne was founded 13 years ago housing approximately 247 residents, 56 of which are children under the age of 10. In order to address overcrowding and safety issues, the City of Cape Town Informal Settlement Department along with the Community Organisation Resource Centre (CORC) and Informal Settlement Network (ISN) intervened three years ago. Prior to this intervention, the concept of early childhood development was not incorporated into the design process of these communities. Through reblocking, areas for recreation and education are designated to best serve the community. By integrating this into informal settlements, community ties are strengthened while providing a safe environment for residents of all ages to interact and grow. Since then, with the help of the Cape Town Project Center, reblocking efforts have continued and the development of a crèche is underway.

Although these efforts have helped to alleviate some of the adversity the community of Flamingo Crescent has experienced in the past, there’s still much to be done. This includes the development of both a standing crèche and playground, a crèche management system, and trained workers and teachers. The goal of this project is to provide the physical aspects the community desires as well as to enhance the opportunities for community development.

Reblock

Looking forward to future developments in Flamingo Crescent, it is important to understand the steps that have been taken throughout the past year in the community. The 2013 WPI group, “Community Mobilisation through Reblocking in Flamingo Crescent,” did extensive research on the most effective ways to upgrade an informal settlement and the steps it entails.

The reblocking in Flamingo is almost completed and they are now moving into utilizing the designated open spaces. Designs for a crèche and a recreational area accessible to the children have been developed.

Working hand in hand with the community will identify the top priorities of the project ensuring satisfaction upon completion. In addition to the physical construction of a recreational area and the facilitation of the crèche management system, the team strives to develop a model that is not only sustainable but one that can be used in the upgrading process of other informal settlements. Creating a system that will function long past the team’s departure is crucial to the success of this project. To attain this, residents need to be involved throughout every step of the process so they gain the necessary knowledge and experience to further the growth of the community. In addition, it will be pertinent to establish solidified working relations between the involved stakeholders and the community members to provide reliable involvement through programmes and funding.