SICK and tired of the state of their area, a group of women at an Austerville Drive flat block have taken up the cudgels to turn dusty, sandy banks into an oasis of blooming flowers, herbs and vegetable gardens which has transformed the area.
Their efforts started a few months ago when they started collecting slips and plants from the roadside and friends and replanting them along banks and in the common spaces between the flat blocks.
Their toil has not only given birth to a vibrant, well tended environment for those living or even driving past the flats, but it has also created a tight bond among the women who spend everyday together, working in the gardens and learning about gardening through experience gained from the older generation.
Gael Meek-Baltimore is one of the women who plants and grows in the spaces. She said they reuse and upcycle unwanted materials found in dumps or just lying on the street such as broken tiles, tyres and plastic bottles. These they repurpose to be used as pot plants.
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“Right now the place is looking better than it used to. Previously, the grass was as tall as a toddler – I swear we would lose our children between the blades of grass. We couldn’t even hang our washing. I think as women, we got fed up of looking at the same old mess everyday. We decided to do this project to give our children something to look forward to when they wake up in the morning or give an idle teenager or adult something to do in the garden, like raking once in a while. This is a positive upliftment for everyone,” she said.
Done with waiting for the city to sort out their problems, this group of women encourage others who live in flats to take ownership of their property and surrounds, and to show them that just because you are living among filth doesn’t mean that’s how life should be.
“We encourage people to use every ugly stone, tree stump or tyre and turn it into something beautiful. It can be done and it can be done together,” she added.
Anyone who would like to assist the women, can contact Gael on 072-884-0300.
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