The rapid expansion of cities in both the developing and developed world has forced policy makers to re-think their approach to dealing with the problems of the urban poor. Innovative and robust policies are necessary for governments to protect the livelihood of each citizen. However, as globalization and international development speed along, the average citizen is increasing his/her own capacity to make change. Rather than waiting for government intervention, many communities are forcing the issue via organization, education and action. Many policy makers and governments have come to realize that the most valuable resource available to improve the poorest communities is the (wo)manpower and motivation of those residing in the community. There is no definitive answer to the questions posed by the challenges of making a city sustainable; however, there are real world examples that are emerging and changing our entire notion of what a city is and how it can operate.
The following are brief, yet powerful examples of community initiative combined with a sustained commitment.
The Soweto Mountain of Hope
Just miles from the developed business district of Sandton in Johannesburg, South Africa lies Soweto, a primarily black township of some hundred thousand people. Many of these residents live in slums, temporary shelters, and hostels originally designed for the miners of Johannesburg. The poor face problems including access to education and health services, and a lack of proper sewage treatment; both are problems that make for unsanitary living conditions.
Hope was borne out of this dilapidated landscape when local residents initiated the clean up of a nearby mountain, Tshiawelo Koppie. Prior to the clean up, the mountain was a barren and dangerous place. When local activists began their cleanup of the mountain, they found it covered with trash, concealing the dead bodies of drug dealers and addicts that were previously drawn to the mountain.
The project involved removal and recycling of trash. A young girl, Mbombtele (“beautiful woman” in Zulu), and many other youth from the community participated by creating beautiful artwork with tires and recycled cardboard. A house was constructed using all the bottles they had found. The surface was restored using cow dung, a local and sustainable custom. Trees, vegetation, and a variety of plants were given new life and cleaner surroundings. After having restored the inherent beauty of the mountain, the project followed up with the creation of an art center. These contributions led to the birth of The Soweto Mountain of Hope (SoMoHo), a cultural and environmental hub for the local community.
Freedom in Zambia
The plight of the urban poor grows worse every day. Uncontrolled population growth has created a challenge for central authorities, unlike any problem they have seen before. For example, in Lusaka, Zambia, 75% of the urban population lives in poverty, most of them residing in unplanned settlements [1]. The central government lacks the capacity to address the rapid growth of the inner city: it is estimated that 50,000 babies are born there every year. Land and shelter are at a premium. In a small corner of Lusaka, called Freedom, local residents have improved their lives through community organizing and initiative.
The first squatters moved to an abandoned farm in Lusaka. The local residents organized the clean up of the area; including trash removal, the destruction of abandoned buildings, and the restoration of the main road. Today, 8,000 people live in Freedom. The local residents have a partnership with the government. Although resources are scarce, the partnership relies on a “steer, not row” relationship, in which the government will offer help to (‘steerâ€TM) the community; however, they will leave the groundwork (‘rowingâ€TM) to the local residents. Fortunately, rowers are not scarce in the crowded neighborhoods of Freedom.
A City On the Rise: Dhaka, Bangladesh
In Dhaka, Bangladesh, the population is growing at an astonishing rate. A significant percentage of the population is migrating to the cities from the poorer rural areas, seeking work, money, and food. In 2015, Dhaka will be the fourth largest city on the planet [2]. As Dhakaâ€TMs population swells, and its streets become crowded with the poor and hungry, the inability of the government to deal with this growing problem will unfold. The government is seeking to minimize and eliminate the slums in Dhaka by giving legal land title to poor dwellers, providing basic services, and the development of a credit scheme for building and renovating in poor areas. The poor lack political, economic and social power; however, the governmentâ€TMs plan is clearly willing to rely on the creativity and strength of the people, its most valuable resource.
Where Do We Go From Here?
These examples provide clear and concise anecdotal evidence of local initiative leading to astounding improvement. This improvement is truly spectacular because of the unique way that it has embraced the tenets of sustainable development: social equity, environmental management, and economic development. These examples provide hope and are reasons for a growing interest in researching and exploring methods for local governance. These participatory measures require the commitment of the community, and an equally valuable commitment from policy makers and government officials to support these democratic means.
The United Nations is demonstrating its commitment to the development of sustainable cities via United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). This is a program promoting a series of regional forums designed to train local officers to act locally. A representative from a town or city with an exemplary record of sustainable development will lead each forum. At the present time, the steering committee is composed by the mayors of four towns: Curitiba, Brazil, known for its public transportation initiatives and social inclusion methods [3]; Durban, South Africa, known for its advanced clean water program; Lyon, France, for outstanding social housing and public health programs; and Shanghai, China known for its advanced project of e-governance. Kuala Lumpur will join the initiative, offering its expertise in planned housing for the poor. The partnership has created a series of training centers on the issues of HIV, e-governance and waste management, with the goal of creating a knowledge network for the cities of the world [4].
A sustainable city is not something that will happen overnight; however, unique partnerships between communities and local governments can and have been part of a bigger solution to steering a city towards sustainability. The idea of acting locally never sounded so good.
[1] CARE International UK, Make Lusaka Count, in Business as Usual?, available at www.careinternational.org.uk [2] CARE International UK, Make Dhaka Count, in Improving the atmosphere?, available at www.careinternational.org.uk [3] For more information about Curitiba, visit their rich web-site at www.curitiba.pr.gov.br [4] UNITAR, Local capacity-building and training for sustainable development, a Public-Private partnership, available at www.unitar.org/cifal
Written by Diego Puppin
Fri, May 2, 2003
Blog