Transforming waste into hope: A community-driven solution in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve
Submitted by
University of the Western Cape
Summary of the Impact:
This university-community partnership has transformed waste management practices across three rural villages in the Kruger to Canyons UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, directly benefiting over 1,500 households while protecting one of South Africa’s most important conservation landscapes. Building on foundational research into rural waste characterization (2022) and disposable diaper usage patterns (2023), the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve (K2C) pioneered a collaborative governance approach that empowers communities to cocreate solutions to environmental challenges. Working with Enable, Phiring, and Malaeneng villages, the partnership facilitated democratic community processes that resulted in locally-owned interventions including incineration systems, reusable cloth diaper programs, and community-led collection networks.