Philippi Village is a community partner in one of Greenpop’s most exciting urban greening endeavours to date: the Heineken® Green Zones project. This community-rooted organisation provides a vital physical space where locals, entrepreneurs, and various organisations can access a multitude of opportunities, services, training, and engage in rich cultural activities. Far beyond a mere hub of commerce, Philippi Village is a place designed for connection, growth, and belonging – a beating heart for the local community of Philippi and its surrounding neighbourhoods.

Catalysing Opportunity and Building Community

Over the last decade, Philippi Village has pioneered a profound transformation within Philippi by providing a space unlike anything the area had ever seen before. Born out of a critical need, Philippi Village has worked tirelessly to fill structural, social gaps and deliver uplifting services to the local community. The Philippi Village team explains, “The space was formally launched in 2015 but grew out of earlier efforts to respond to spatial inequality and a lack of dignified infrastructure in Cape Town’s peripheral communities. The goal was always to create a space that centres the needs of the community while enabling access to networks and opportunities that had long been out of reach for many residents.” Their shared vision is clear: to create a “collectively reimagined, safe, healthy, and thriving community in and around Philippi.”

Philippi, an urban area historically designated for spatial segregation under the apartheid government’s Group Areas Act, is home to a local population that has faced an array of limitations and challenges for decades. This legislation forcibly assigned residential and business sections in urban areas based on racial categories, with Philippi primarily designated for Black African and Coloured communities. Today, 31 years after South Africa’s transition to democracy, segregated communities across the country still suffer from inequalities in access to suitable amenities, infrastructure, opportunities, and, crucially, healthy land. In this context, Philippi Village fulfils a crucial role as a purveyor of potential and opportunity.

“We aim to address several interconnected challenges: lack of access to services, youth unemployment, disconnection from land and nature, safety concerns, and the underrepresentation of township-based innovation and leadership. Our work is grounded in the belief that when people feel safe, seen, and supported, their potential can flourish,” states the Philippi Village team.

The centre offers a diverse array of spaces and means that foster skills development, yield inspiration, and encourage community building. With sporting and cultural facilities, an amphitheatre, a film location and studio, communal workspace containers, alongside spaces for events, educational programmes, and music production, Philippi Village truly accommodates a plethora of activities and interests. Even if you’re simply looking for a morning coffee, they’ve got you covered! Philippi Village has achieved significant infrastructural development while simultaneously remaining conscious of its ecological footprint. The dazzling office spaces, perfect for conferences, meetings, or workshops, overlook a vast ‘Backlands’ area – a large piece of previously degraded land which is now slowly transforming into a thriving, biodiverse sanctuary.

The Unique Ecology of Philippi: A Global Hotspot Under Threat

Beyond its rich social and historical tapestry, Philippi also holds profound ecological importance. The area lies within the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest yet most biodiverse of the world’s six floral kingdoms, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Specifically, the land here is home to critically endangered vegetation types like Cape Flats Sand Fynbos and Cape Flats Dune Strandveld. These unique ecosystems, teeming with endemic plant species found nowhere else on Earth, are under immense threat due to urban expansion, habitat loss, and invasive species. Revitalising ecosystems like the Philippi Village Backlands are therefore not just about creating green spaces, but critically about conserving a piece of this irreplaceable natural heritage.

Transforming the Backlands: The Heineken® Green Zones Initiative

The initial greening and biodiversity enhancement of a portion of Philippi Village’s Backlands began as a key component of Greenpop’s Heineken® Green Zones project. This initiative saw a significant section of this space evolve through the planting of 2500 indigenous plants, alongside the introduction of a variety of other outdoor features and amenities. The revitalised space was introduced to the public during an inaugural launch at the beginning of 2024.

The planting and development were centred around an existing Philippi Village art installation, “Gogo Thembi” – a powerful symbol representing the wisdom of the grandmother. This artwork serves as a poignant reminder of the nurturing qualities of the earth, the value of indigenous and traditional knowledge systems, and the healing properties of local medicinal plants. It’s a call to care for each other and all life around us, and served as the perfect centrepiece for the Green Zone project.

Expanding the Green Oasis: Our Living Landscapes Project

Since the initial Heineken® Green Zone launched last year, we have spent many a day in the garden at Philippi Village, growing the space far beyond what we had initially anticipated. Now, through our ongoing Living Landscapes project, Greenpop aims to support Philippi Village in revitalising the rest of the Backlands area, ensuring this green oasis continues to thrive and expand. This local-level, hands-on fieldwork is not only an integral part of the greater mission of striving for a greener future but is precisely where real change begins and happens. “Greenpop’s planting days are a highlight for us. They’re more than environmental actions — they’re gatherings that restore our connection to land and each other. These events bring people together across backgrounds and generations, reminding us that the health of our planet and our communities are deeply linked,” explains Esethu.

Driving Progress Through Diverse Partnerships

The transformative process at Philippi Village has required a multitude of hands, diverse knowledge, and deep engagement from a variety of stakeholders across different backgrounds, disciplines, and cultures. From corporate donors to volunteers to the local community, the journey of Philippi Village’s backlands has brought a wide array of people together through a shared fundamental goal and vision.

Over this time, Greenpop’s partnership with Philippi Village has blossomed into a wonderfully symbiotic relationship. The members of our urban greening team have become very familiar faces in the Village, always welcomed with open arms. There is a wide assortment of variables to consider when executing effective urban greening, and together, we’ve been able to empower, uplift, and upskill a number of locals in the area. This exercise has proven to be another prime example of how urban greening and biodiversity enhancement are truly exercises in both ecological and communal upliftment.

Esethu further explains, “Our partnership with Greenpop is one of co-creation. Together, we are not just planting trees — we are planting ideas, hope, and long-term systems change. [Greenpop’s] support has helped us transform underutilised land into spaces of healing, learning, and joy. We look forward to continuing this journey.”

Making a Greener Future Possible

Working with the Philippi Village team has been a tremendously inspiring and motivating experience, and we are immensely grateful to be able to collaborate with such driven and dedicated community partners. We extend our deepest gratitude to Philippi Village for their partnership and the invaluable work they have done and continue to do in their community. We look forward to seeing our partnership strengthen even further and the Backlands growing even greener, continuing to serve as a beacon of hope and opportunity in Philippi!

Photography courtesy of RTC Studios and the Greenpop Field Team