The container was repurposed as the central office-cum-information and reception area for iKhaya leLanga, a project which is transforming the disadvantaged community in the Cape Town township.
Non-profit organisation, Ikhaya leLanga, which operates from an abandoned old primary school, is pursuing an innovative model of turning the area into a commercially viable tourism destination. The project is the brainchild of British-born social entrepreneur, Tony Elvin, who is helping transform the area into a creative hub to attract visitors.
The container was handed over on 20 February 2016 to mark the culmination of a week-long DRA Global Langa Quarter Street Art competition, which featured 17 street artists who were selected by a curatorial panel to paint a section of the wall outside the Langa Stadium.
Renowned French street artist, Jace, from Réunion Island judged the competition, supported by a public vote, and also participated in the five-day art event by painting the container that DRA donated.
DRA connected with the Ikhaya leLanga initiative as part of its corporate social responsibility focus on enterprise development.
“The Mining Indaba not only gave DRA an opportunity to ensure that some of its exhibition infrastructure is up-cycled; we are also moving away from just donation-based causes and focusing some of our CSR on empowering people to empower themselves. Helping develop businesses and create jobs is both empowering and sustainable,” explains Rob Welsh of DRA’s Cape Town office.
The initiative also aligns with DRA’s philosophy of “discovering extraordinary possibilities” in providing engineering solutions for its clients. In particular, DRA was inspired by the iKhaya project’s vision of both creating jobs and bringing to life the area’s fascinating history.
