Love Howick and its Green Learn to Earn participants hit the ground running last week, uplifting public spaces across town!
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (15 January 2026) – Last week, the Love Howick team along with participants from their Green Learn to Earn programme spent time cutting back overgrown spaces, clearing drains, collecting waste and giving public spaces much-needed TLC.
They cleared weeds at the old taxi rank which refreshed the space, fixed up flower beds and a public garden now in bloom, cleared up overgrown edges and invasive plants, collected rubbish through the CBD, and cleaned drains along the main road.
Behind the scenes, another team repaired appliances for Love Howick’s Street Store, making sure items donated by the community can be reused by families who need them most.
Not only does this work serve the town and make Howick beautiful, it also brings dignity.
More than 100 unemployed residents of uMngeni are being equipped with skills like environmental restoration and waste management thanks to the organisation’s Green Learn to Earn programme.
Love Howick’s model gets people together and creates positive change through multiple community-driven projects that focus on skills development, community and collaboration. And it’s growing.
Recently, Love Howick founder Matt Hogarty shared the organisation’s story at the national Community Development Conference at the University of the Free State. His talk showed how what started as a hyper-local project in Howick can be adapted by communities across South Africa. ‘Love Cities’.
The presentation carried the love all the way back to Howick, where the community now feels even more empowered by setting an example.
“This recognition is a win for our entire community—for every volunteer, partner, and resident who helps build a brighter Howick. Our local actions are shaping the national conversation!”
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