The Sustainability Institute is a non-profit trust, founded in 1999. An international living and learning centre focussing on studies and experience in ecology, community and spirit, we work in partnership with the School of Public Management and Planning, University of Stellenbosch in the following areas of  education (Masters and PhD degrees in Sustainable Development Planning and Sustainable Agriculture), Early Childhood Development, Community Development Practice and Management, project facilitation to establish Sustainable Neighbourhood Developments in various localities,policy research in the sustainable development sector. The Institute is located in the Lynedoch EcoVillage, a place where we have provided development facilitation to create a space for sustainable living and learning.

Living at Lynedoch - water, energy, biodiversity initiatives

Small business entrepreneurs emerging...

Phethang Mabeba is making great progress with setting up a registered company for Stanley Siphondo and Elijah Skosana whilst they are busy with the next phase of the storm water management project along the South Eastern perimeter of the village. We have adopted a softer approach with a series of wetlands and ponds cascading down side of the village (where we have a bit more space) to capture and direct storm water whilst providing micro-habitats for small wildlife as well as calming and cleaning the water.

We are in the process of scoping and implementing an extensive energy and water metering system for two pilot houses and a number of other ecological design projects onsite. The design for the metering systems is now underway. Phethang is also working on include solar street lighting, a clay oven for the agreencafe (given an increasing demand for Mathilda’s homemade bread) and the naming of all indigenous plants.

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Sustainable building experts Elijah Skosana, Stanley Sipondo and Phetty Mabeba are setting up their own company
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Mathilda Davids leads the way with energising agreencafe in amazing ways...


Sustainable Stellenbosch by 2030 & a Network Coordinator for the SI

RuendaWe are all very excited about having Ruenda Odendaal join the team! She will be taking the position of Sustainable Stellenbosch project manager and SI Network Coordinator on a part time basis from 01 June 2010. For the Stellenbosch projects, she will be responsible for project managing the compilation of the Sustainable Stellenbosch by 2030 publication of the Sustainable Stellenbosch programme (a joint University – Municipality initiative in partnership with the Sustainability Institute). This promises to be an interesting journey in uncovering the Stellenbosch stories and opportunities. The funding to cover her salary will be drawn from the remaining Sustainable Stellenbosch budget at the University.

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Where children and teenagers come first

 Changes Youth – Sustainability Institute aftercare

2 ½ years ago saw the beginning, with 18 boys, of the Changes youth group. Only 5 of those had present fathers, 3 being alcoholics. After visiting the local Stellenbosch prison, the boys chose the youth club name – from the famous Tupak song – and to symbolise the changes they would like make in their own lives.Changes T-shirt

12th April saw the beginning of Changes 4.0 – i.e. 83 mainly farmworker children between the ages of 6 and 16 arriving after school for lunch.Great vegetarian Farm to Fork food, grown by Eric, our organic farmer, or here in the Lynedoch gardens. (Not one child has asked where the meat is, and some have gone for seconds and thirds!) Then on to homework, karate, drama, soccer, gardening, drumming, games and remedial work if necessary.

This is purely voluntary – and there were bitter complaints yesterday when the bus arrived too early to take some children home. They wanted to stay later. There are more children arriving each day to ask to join – the Institute is bursting. Everywhere we look there is a child, just the way it should be.

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