- Act III Scene I: Adding Color (November 16, 2015)
- Slideshow Test
- “Bawawethu” (December 3, 2015)
- Social Enterprise
- Acronym Dictionary
- Background
- About CTPC
- Blog
- Resource Library
- Welcome!
- Projects
- Projects Overview
- 2015
- Expanding Early Childhood Development Opportunities in an Informal Settlement
- Exploring New Outreach Models for Early Childhood Development
- Fostering Community at the Canterbury Street Lot
- Background Research
- Philosophy Behind Helping the Homeless
- Belonging and its Psychological Impact on Street People
- Establishing Social Inclusion in the Street Community
- Understanding Homelessness’ Role in Urban Development
- Investigating the Effect of Public Spaces on Cities
- Creating a Sense of Community Through Green Areas
- Commemorating the Street Community’s Lives
- Partnerships
- Planning
- Outcomes
- Resources
- Background Research
- Providing More than a Meal at Service Dining Rooms
- Upgrading the K2 Informal Settlement through Community Collaboration
- Background Research
- Planning Pages
- The Partnership
- K2 Journey
- Act I Scene I: New Beginnings (October 22, 2015)
- Act I Scene II: Getting lost in the K2 Maze (October 23, 2015)
- Act I Scene III: The Outsiders (October 26, 2015)
- Act II Scene I: Touring Tuesday (November 10, 2015)
- Act II Scene II: Trouble in K2 (November 16, 2015)
- Act III Scene I: Luncheon: A Change of Scenery (November 17, 2015)
- Act III Scene II: Adding Colour (November 20, 2015)
- Act III Scene III: “Bawawethu” (December 3, 2015)
- Act III Scene IV: Financial Contribution: One Step at a Time (December 7, 2015)
- Project Outcomes
- Project Resources
- References
- Women’s Empowerment through Increased Access and Understanding of Technology
- Background Research
- Partnership
- Planning
- Process Narrative
- Outcomes
- Project Resources
- References
- 2014
- Empowerment through Improving Facilities at the Sizakuyenza Safe House
- The Big Issue Goes Online: Creating a Vendor-Run Profiling Program
- Early Childhood and Community Development in Flamingo Crescent
- Background Research
- Challenges of Early Childhood Development in South Africa
- Crèche Regulations and Finances
- Best Practices for Crèche Development
- Determinants of Crèche Quality
- The Effect of Playground Design on Child Development
- The Effect of Playground Design on Communities
- Developmental Benefits of Recreational Space
- Public Space Inequality in South Africa
- Recyclable Playgrounds
- Flamingo Crescent Informal Settlement
- Planning and Methods
- The Partnership
- The Play by Play
- Project Outcomes
- Resources
- Background Research
- An Entrepreneurial Initiative for Distributing Energy Efficient Products in Low Income Communities
- Background
- Planning
- Partnerships
- Project Narrative
- Act 1: Adapting our Project
- Act 2: Finding Distribution Centers
- Scene 1: Creating Interest in Wonderbags
- Scene 2: First Trip to an Informal Settlement
- Scene 3: Looking for New Products
- Scene 4: Gathering Community Energy and Crèche Information
- Scene 5: A Visit to Flamingo
- Scene 6: Just Do It: Three Crèche Visits
- Scene 7: The Reality of Low Income Areas
- Scene 8: A College for Kiddies
- Act 3: Establishing Pilot Programs
- Scene 1: Pilot Program
- Scene 2: A Second Pilot Program
- Scene 3: Sustainable Sales
- Scene 4: Low Income Energy Services Task Team Meeting
- Scene 5: Lunch at the Crèche
- Scene 6: Exploring Other Products
- Scene 7: Graduation
- Scene 8: Enjoying Electricity
- Scene 9: Collaboration for Future Implementation
- Scene 10: Keep Smiling
- Epilogue
- Outcomes
- References
- Expanding Health, Education, and Wellbeing Services and Analyzing the Effects of Underlying Social Complexities on WaSH-UP
- Background Research
- Mission & Objectives
- Cast of Characters
- Process Narrative: Our Journey
- Project Outcomes: Not Just Toilets Anymore!
- Epilogue
- WaSH-UP Sustainable Livelihoods and Business Operations
- Mission and Objectives Overview
- Background Research
- Informal Settlements in South Africa: Langrug Community
- Shared Action Learning (SAL)
- Community Assets
- What Business Institutions/Models Would Best Serve the Community?
- How to Start a Small Business in Informal Settlements
- Possible Models for Small Businesses and Savings Groups
- Ethical Considerations
- Research Questions
- Sources and References
- The Partnership
- Acts and Scenes
- Project Outcomes
- Reflection and Growth during the IQP Journey
- 2013
- Blue Sky Recycling Programme
- Community Mobilisation Through Reblocking in Flamingo Crescent
- The Partnership
- Welcome to Flamingo Crescent
- Background Research
- Methodology: Shared Action Learning
- Project Narrative
- Act 1: Trial and Error
- Scene 1: First Meeting with Levona
- Scene 2: An Introduction to 7de Laan
- Scene 3: Beginnings of Turmoil
- Scene 4: Finding Hope
- Scene 5: A Motivation for our Work
- Scene 6: Red Hill Settlement Tour Highlights Opportunities
- Scene 7: City Mission Visit Illuminates the Option of Reblocking
- Scene 8: Meeting the Key Planners
- Scene 9: First Weekly Meeting Causes Confusion
- Scene 10: Subcouncil Meeting Eases Worries
- Scene 11: A Raw and Unexpected Story
- Scene 12: Ethiopian Experience
- Scene 13: Shack Demolition
- Scene 14: Engineering the Future
- Scene 15: Public Meeting in 7de Laan
- Act 1 Reflection
- Act 2: Testing the Waters
- Scene 1: A Taste of Flamingo
- Scene 2: Getting to know the Community Leaders
- Scene 3: Cluster Meetings in Flamingo
- Scene 4: Introduction to Mtshini Wam
- Scene 5: Kuku Town Visit Provides Example
- Scene 6: All Parties Come Together
- Scene 7: Library Networking
- Scene 8: Communication and Enumeration
- Act 2 Reflection
- Act 3: Taking Care of Business
- Scene 1: Meeting the Contractors
- Scene 2: Breaking Ground
- Scene 3: If You Build It They Will Come
- Scene 4: Visiting ELRU Opens Doors for a Crèche in Flamingo
- Scene 5: A Living Virtue
- Scene 6: Meeting a New Potential Stakeholder
- Scene 7: Meeting with the CECD: “Let’s do it.”
- Scene 8: Bringing Green Innovation to the Crèche
- Scene 9: Final Stakeholder Meeting
- Scene 10: Saying Goodbye to Flamingo Crescent
- Act 3 Reflection
- Student Reflections
- Act 1: Trial and Error
- Resources and References
- Community Mobilisation Through Reblocking: An Interactive Upgrading Anthology
- Early Childhood Development Connection
- MGV Park Redevelopment
- Project Partners
- Project Outcomes
- Background Research
- Planning and Methods
- Process Narrative
- Act 1: The Beginning
- Scene 1: Arriving in Maitland Garden Village
- Scene 2: First Sight
- Scene 3: Meeting with the Project Members
- Scene 4: Community Survey
- Scene 5: Working with Co-Researchers
- Scene 6: Village Day
- Scene 7: Monday’s Meeting with Jude
- Scene 8: Monday’s Meeting with Co-Researchers
- Scene 9: Discouraging Moment
- Scene 10: Setting up the Fantasy Playscape Activity with the Crèche
- Act 2: A New Hope
- Act 3: Getting the Ball Rolling
- Personal Reflections
- Act 1: The Beginning
- Resources
- WaSH-UP
- 2012
- Capacity Building of a Community Based Organisation in Maitland Garden Village
- Meet the Team
- Background Research and Preparation
- Ethical Considerations
- Cape Town Project Centre Context
- Sponsors
- Project Work on Site
- Cast of Characters
- Meetings
- Organisational Profiles
- Act 1: Finding our Footing
- Scene 1: First Encounter with Maitland Garden Village (MGV)
- Scene 2: Tour of Maitland Garden Village
- Scene 3: Ronell’s Sight into the Help Centre
- Scene 4: First Look at the Potential Venue
- Scene 5: Getting to Know the People We are Working With
- Scene 6: Tour Of Oude Molen
- Scene 7: Village Day
- Scene 8: Monday Morning Meeting
- Scene 9: Meeting at MGV Community Centre
- Reflection and Moving Forward
- Act 2: Building Support
- Act 3: Strategy and Execution
- Envisioning a Black River Pathway: Creating a Heritage Destination through Social Development
- Research & Planning
- Cast of Characters
- Ethical Considerations
- Acts and Scenes
- Act One: Getting Started
- Scene Eight: Maitland Garden Village Day
- Scene Five: Faces of Oude Molen Eco Village
- Scene Four: First Meeting with our Sponsors
- Scene One: The First Pathway Experience
- Scene Seven: Visiting Company’s Garden
- Scene Six: A Presentation to our Sponsors
- Scene Three: Walking the Desire Lines
- Scene Two: Tour of Maitland Garden Village
- Act Two: Developing Relationships
- Act Three: Absorbing Information
- Act Four: Meeting with the City
- Act Five: Wrapping Up
- Act One: Getting Started
- Resources & References
- Laying the Foundation for a Resilient Partnership: Innovative Upgrading in the Informal Settlement of Langrug
- Welcome to Langrug
- Background Research
- Cast of Characters
- Primary Project Focuses
- Acts and Scenes: Our Observations and Reflections
- Act 1: Jumping Right In
- Act 2: Planning and Moving Forward
- Discussing the Needs of the Community and How the MPC Can Help
- Making the Decision to Move Forward with the Multi-Purpose Centre
- Reblocking Guidebook Discussion
- Re-Measuring for Reblocking
- Spacing Out ReBlocking
- Fire In Zwelitsha
- Lunch Scene
- Working Team Arguments
- Playing Games
- Introductions at the Municipality: A Revelation
- Amanda Realises the Importance of Documentation
- The Working Team Presents to the Municipality
- How Simple Office Supplies Can Spark Progress
- Further Difficulty with Planning
- Learning How to Do (and Teach) a Cost Analysis
- Act 3: Making Decisions
- Working Group Expresses Community Urgency
- Impromptu Meeting with Dawie
- Meeting with Scott: Ending a Day of Confusion
- Partnership Meeting 13 November
- Alfred’s Presence in Langrug
- Realising the Greywater Cleaning Problems
- Working Group’s Apparent Lack of Trust in the Municipality: Putting Together a Report
- Tensions Regarding Community Contributions and the MPC
- Act 4: WaSH Construction
- Act 5: Our Reflections
- Rooftop Gardens for Sustainable Livelihoods in Cape Town
- Supporting Reblocking and Community Development in Mtshini Wam
- Capacity Building of a Community Based Organisation in Maitland Garden Village
- 2011
- Addressing Greywater Management Issues in Langrug Using a Sustainable Reiterative Process
- Black River Corridor: Visions for Restoration and Recreational Use
- Envisioning the Future Development of Oude Molen Eco Village
- Supporting Asset Based Community Development in Maitland Garden Village
- Chapter 1: What is the best way to aid a community in a sustainable and positive way?
- Chapter 2: How does one lay the foundation for a mutually beneficial relationship?
- Chapter 3: What communication tools can be utilised to gauge a community’s aspirations?
- Chapter 4: What is the best way to show gratitude and initiate community driven action?
- Chapter 5: What is the best approach to gain governmental participation in preparation for a community programme?
- Chapter 6: How do you structure a meeting so the attendees become participants and truly invested?
- Chapter 7: How can MGV continue to develop through mutually beneficial relationships with neighbouring communities?
- Epilogue: What does the future hold?
- Acknowledgements
- Team Interviews
- Photo Gallery
- Downloads and References
- Sustainable Livelihoods Through Beekeeping
- WaSHUp: Innovating Water Sanitation and Hygiene Upgrading in Langrug
- Langrug
- Meet the Team
- Water and Sanitation in Langrug
- Mapped Facility 1
- Mapped Facility 10
- Mapped Facility 2
- Mapped Facility 3
- Mapped Facility 4
- Mapped Facility 5
- Mapped Facility 6
- Mapped Facility 7
- Mapped Facility 8
- Mapped Facility 9
- Mapped Facility 11
- Mapped Facility 12
- Mapped Facility 13
- Mapped Facility 14
- Mapped Facility 15
- Mapped Facility 16
- Mapped Facility 17
- Mapped Facility 18
- Mapped Facility 19
- Mapped Facility 20
- Mapped Facility 21
- Partnerships in Langrug: A Model for the Future
- Community-Driven Development
- Community WaSHUp Spaces
- Multi-Purpose WaSHUp Facility
- Future
- Supplemental Material
- 2010
- Profiling Community Assets
- Collaborative Construction
- Stormwater Management
- Strengthening Spaza Shops
- Supporting Early Childhood Development
- Initiation Site Development
- Meet the Team
- Project
- Good Hope Initiation Site Proposal
- Objectives
- Background
- A Historic Perspective of the Initiation Ritual
- Challenges of Initiation
- Limited Physical Space and Lack of Seclusion
- Building and Burning of Initiation Huts
- Challenges of Initiation in an Urban Environment
- Economic Challenges for Initiates
- Health Concerns during the Initiation Process
- Malnutrition during the Seclusion Period
- Psychological Challenges Faced by Initiates
- Conflicts Between Traditional Leaders and Authorities
- Government Actions in the Initiation Community
- Methodology
- Project Resources
- Acknowledgements
- Co-Researchers
- 2009
- Buildings
- Communications
- Economy
- Energy
- Gardens
- Mapping and Planning
- Water & Sanitation
- Accomplishments
- Background
- Current Conditions and Common Practices within Monwabisi Park
- Establishing Collaborations
- Future Testing
- History of Water and Sanitation in South Africa
- Learning by Example: Case Studies
- Meet the Team
- Methodology
- Monwabisi Park as a Model for Redevelopment
- Our Partners
- Project Resources
- The Sanitation Centre
- 2008
- 2007
- Contact Us
- Communications
- WaSH
- First Week Plans
- Pre-Travel Planning
- Interactions
- Meeting Strategies
- Shared Action Learning
- Mission Statement and Objectives
- Methodology
- Ethics
- Interview Planning
- Week One Plan
- Beyond Week One
- Cast of Characters
- Welcome to Langrug
- Key Areas of Focus
- References
- CTPC Context
- Setting the Stage
- Sponsor: Community Organisation Resource Centre
- Sponsor: Department of Integrated Human Settlements
- Cast of Characters
- Project Planning
- References
Background
Initiation ritual
The initiation ritual is a ceremony that symbolizes the transition from boyhood to manhood for many males of the amaXhosa, amaHlubi, and abeSuthu. It is an important part of traditional culture that has been practiced for many years in rural areas of South Africa. During the ritual, males typically between the ages of 17 to 23, are circumcised and taught their responsibilities as men. The ritual reinforces individual and social identity, and failure to undergo this process can lead to serious social consequences for abantu males.
Click to learn about a historic perspective of the initiation ritual
Challenges Faced by initiation in Urban Environments
In recent years, there has been a mass migration from rural areas of the Eastern Cape to urban areas of the Western Cape driven largely by the need to find employment and the desire for a higher standard of life. This migration has created challenges in maintaining the initiation tradition, and the community has had to creatively adapt to a rapidly changing social and cultural environment.
Many migrants reside in informal settlements on the outskirts of Cape Town. Khayelitsha, for example, is a township located 30 km from the centre of Cape Town that has between 500,000 to 1,000,000 residents comprised of a large portion of abantu members who have migrated from the Eastern Cape (Lauren Alex, Jessy Cusack, Augustina Mills, Alejandro Sosa, Alex et al., 2007). In 2009 the City of Cape Town deemed it a priority to provide formal initiation sites for communities to practice their cultural tradition in urban areas such as Khayelitsha. The government has sought to address the economic, social, and health challenges of initiation through legislation and community outreach. Some specific challenges are lack of physical space, lack of seclusion, lack of site maintenance, and health complications. In order to further these efforts, the City of Cape Town has established an Initiation Task Team comprised of community leaders, elders, traditional surgeons, municipal and provincial government officials, and other major stakeholders with the goal of developing sustainable, safe initiation sites throughout the municipality.
Click to learn more about the challenges of initiation
Past Work Done by the Government
A series of community meetings or “indabas”, have been held by the Cape Town Initiation Task Team. In an indaba held in October 2009, stakeholders identified the challenges associated with the development of initiation sites in urban areas and proposed several approaches and recommendations. These recommendations included site allocation guidelines, the construction of infrastructure for the site that is currently being used, and the training of traditional surgeons and nurses to increase circumcision safety. Agreement between local and provincial governments is required to allocate easily accessible land. The support of the community is also important to sustain the tradition of initiation. In 2010, the designation of 11 initiation sites around the City of Cape Town was announced.
Click to learn more about government actions involving initiation
Case Analysis: Langa Initiation Site
Despite the work of the City of Cape Town Initiation Task Team, during every initiation season in Cape Town, the media has reported cases of health complications, site conflicts and community involvement issues caused by the initiation ritual (Piliso, Simpiwe, 2009). These issues have arisen due to lack of proper health and safety practice, lack of proper washing and sanitation facilities, discord between different abantu, and poor site locations (Piliso, Simpiwe, 2009). The initiation practice has not yet fully adapted to the urban environment, and still has many challenges to overcome.
The goal of this project is to develop a plan for the implementation of a safe and sustainable initiation site proximate to Good Hope College in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, that will be accepted by the Khayelitsha community. The team’s strategy for development considers major factors that include: site suitability, site requirements, site management practice, site maintenance practice, and the identification of stakeholders and community responsibility.
The team worked on site from October 20th to December 19th, 2010. Over the seven week period, the team attended an initiation indaba, visited successful Langa Initiation Site, worked with city officials from several City of Cape Town departments, and spoke with Langa Initiation Site officials, a senior manager of the Western Cape Department of Arts and Culture, a traditional surgeon, an Eastern Cape Health Official, and Kirstenbosch Garden personnel to identify and further define the elements essential to the design of the Good Hope College Initiation Site.
Click to learn more about Langa Initiation Site