SOCIAL INVESTMENT
Research-driven designs informed by a humanitarian mission
IMPACT investments that keep UNDER-SERVED communities RELEVANT Thanks to the vision of Deborah Terhune, founder of Growing Up Africa, the development of the Devland Soweto Education Campus went from concept to completion over a period of seven years and is set to make a lasting difference.
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non-profit organisation, Growing Up Africa’s mission is to build resilient education structures and related infrastructure for a future of ecological, social and economic sustainability. Every potential project begins with extensive research. In South Africa’s case, this revealed that access to technology was not keeping up with the educational needs of underserved communities. When presented with the Devland Soweto site as an opportunity to build an education campus, Growing Up Africa set on a path to design and build a facility to anticipate innovation and the technological needs of the future. Growing Up Africa’s research was aligned with the findings of Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, vice chancellor of the University of Johannesburg (UJ). In a paper co-written with fellow UJ faculty member Dr Bo Xing, entitled ‘Implications of the Fourth Industrial Age on Higher Education’ (The Thinker, Vol. 73, 2017), he states, “The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) is powered
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by artificial intelligence, and it will transform the workplace from task-based characteristics to human-centred characteristics. Because of the convergence of man and machine, it will reduce the subject distance between humanities and social science as well as science and technology. This will necessarily require much more interdisciplinary teaching, research and innovation.” The Devland Soweto Education Campus is located on a site that was home to a former industrial park, and the region is currently undergoing transformation. “Devland Soweto is a place where the innovation of 4IR is needed and a place where it will happen,” says Terhune.
Funding mechanisms Growing Up Africa’s development model is based on designing state-of-the-art projects and infrastructure with minimal direct cash funding. The world-class design of its projects serves as an incentive for companies and corporations to become involved by contributing professional
expertise, materials, transport and time. “People want to be part of a successful project that has a tangible and positive impact on the community, and we led the way. This type of development does not happen overnight. We did not wait for funding. We started with the idea,” Terhune explains. Over the years, the Devland Soweto project has involved over 225 companies and individuals from South Africa and around the world. Critical team members include: Boogertman + Partners as architect of record, William Reue Architecture NYC as the design architect, Mark Laburn Architects, SDP, SMEC Engineering, Spoormaker & Partners, WACO International, ENSAfrica, and Tiber Construction. These companies and many more were essential to the project’s success. The construction of the building provided jobs and training for members of the local community, and the building itself is an important node for future community development. All professionals and contractors provided their services pro bono, and most
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