The Dreamcatcher Foundation together with the community of Melkhoutfontein launched the Centre for Arts for Humanity project on Sunday March 4th in the restored historic St. Augustine’s church situated on the newly developed ‘La Bloemen’ indigenous botanical garden developed on a former waste dumpsite.
Art by the children of Melkhoutfontein will be open to the general public for viewing over the forthcoming Easter period (21st of March), September (24th) and December (16th) Holiday periods. Over the past year, Dreamcatcher’s ‘Going Places Kids’, have created amazing art work from the waste removed from the site. Their environment and rich, significant history were their inspiration. Working under the auspices of their art teacher, Diane Rossouw, the children have evolved into artists in their own right converting the waste and their inspirational creations into various art forms and crafts.
The corner stone of a monument, a mosaic named ‘Rising from the Ashes’ and created from waste from this former dumpsite, was laid in the garden after the official launch. The project name Wasteland-Graced Land is there for evident and a testament of humanity, restoring damaged environment and living in harmony in it. Many botanical and other species are returning to the area.
The Wasteland – Graced Land Project has recently been recognized globally as a best practice sustainable model for poverty relief and environmental management projects.
According to the Dreamcatcher Foundation’s founder, Anthea Rossouw, the ‘Wasteland – Graced Land’ model is geared to provide solutions to local problems using local resources as far as possible to created sustainable work. This project blends tourism and environmental sustainability with helpfulness by introducing a new, meaningful tourist visitor destination with the chance for visitors to engage and get involved with the locals to innovate and create together locally.
Artwork and nature at La Bloemen Botanical Garden, Melkhoutfontein
(Photos: The Dreamcatcher Foundation)