“Upcycling the future”: the development of sustainable solutions in South Africa

In Durban, in the east of South Africa, the project for a space dedicated to sustainable development emerged in 2018. Hosted by the Savoir-Faire association, it was then developed by The Maker Space Foundation to open in 2020.

With its slogan “Upcycling the future”, the place is designed to be a hub for talking about the circular economy to protect the environment, promote innovation and support disadvantaged communities. The objective of this new third place, called the Baobab, is both to showcase sustainable practices, thanks to awareness and education programmes, and to support local economic development by promoting the emergence of solutions with a low environmental impact and creating green jobs.

In practical terms, the Baobab offers spaces dedicated to events and urban agriculture, areas for conducting training, and a café. It will host several programmes: Innovative Waste Design with the Plasticpreneur recycling studio to train participants in plastic recycling techniques and design new products; My Lil' Pumpkin to introduce schoolchildren to the principles of sustainability through practical activities (workshops, events and DIY); and Zero Waste, an awareness programme based on the 5Rs (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair), waste prevention and eco-design.

The idea is to develop a network of committed citizens, NGOs, VSSMEs[1], start-ups, public representatives and large companies, to build a more sustainable future.

---

[1] Very Small, Small and Medium Enterprises (VSSME).