How a Dumpsite Blossomed into a Space for Learning, Growth, and Safer Community!

Photo Credit: University of Pretoria via Facebook

Where heaps of litter and trash once accumulated by the day, now grows lush green plants, many of which produce for the surrounding community. This is just part of the inspiring transformation that has taken place at Moja Gabedi in Hatfield!

Pretoria, South Africa (02 April 2025) – Where many saw a filthy dump, a sore sight for most, a group of changemakers saw the potential to transform it into something truly amazing, enriching the lives of the people around it.

If you were to ask someone who hasn’t been in the Hatfield area in a long while, they’d probably describe Moja Gabedi at 384 Festival Street as an unofficial and rather shady dumpsite. But this spot has since evolved into a safe, green haven for the local community.

This is all thanks to the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Unit for Community Engagement, a project that turned the area completely upside down – in the best way possible!

The rehabilitation process involved a clean-up operation involving the removal of 3,000 tons of waste and the introduction of 3,000 tons of topsoil and 200 tons of compost. In addition to this, trees have been planted, gardens cultivated, and temporary structures erected to serve as therapy centres and community meeting spaces, UP shares.

Under the management of Dr Eugene Machimana, Head of Curricular Community Engagement in UP’s Department for Education Innovation, alongside Site Managers Innocent Chauke and Pontsho Masele, the project continues to grow, attracting both students and community members.

In 2024 alone, 183 students from various disciplines such as agriculture, education and health sciences actively participated in a project aimed at uplifting Moja Gabedi. This initiative provided them with valuable hands-on experience, allowing them to apply their research while collaborating with local communities.

“It is through collaborative community engagement initiatives that the University and community can transform other degenerative spaces and make them places of meaningful engagement,” Chauke says.

“Students pursuing degrees in agriculture conduct their research on food production in the garden, while occupational therapy students conduct life-changing sessions with community members, helping them realise their full potential.”

More than just a cleaner environment, Moja Gabedi has now become a space where local community members have access to fresh produce, university students have a unique hands-on learning environment, and the area has seen a significant crime reduction.