A notorious battlefield in Lavender Hill, where countless innocent lives have been lost due to the ongoing gang violence, is being turned into a safe space of hope.
The field along Blode Street will soon be home to a library, computer lab and music studio, targeting the youth. While the initial plan was developed in 2017, construction work began last week.
Rise Above Development (Rad) CEO Lindsay Cessford said the first phase of the project, that was first envisioned five years ago, is finally in the making. “We started phase 1 yesterday (Tuesday 12 July) with the partial fence. We have already commissioned the music studio, classroom, library and toilets which is the first four containers in the centre (of the field). “We will have a multi-purpose dance studio and canteen as well.”
She added that the multi-purpose centre was envisioned back in 2017.
“I’ve been at Rad for two years and the initial funders and key players may have changed, but a safe space and better future for the youth of Lavender Hill was envisioned.
“We want to create this beautiful space for the youth and lots of sports programmes.”
Rad in partnership with In Place of War, from the United Kingdom (UK), as well as Breadline Africa are some of the organisations involved in the project.
“We are working in partnership with these organisations and the whole project will be up and running in 12 months while the first phase should be completed in three months.
“All we can see is positive things that this will bring to the children of Lavender Hill.”
She added that there is a buzz of excitement in the community now that the project is underway.
“We are doing a fundraising campaign at the moment, we are in talks with funders, now that we have put the spade into the ground, we can see more people coming on board.
“We have also recruited youth from the community; everyone who will be employed for this project will be coming from Lavender Hill.
“It’s all about youth development and giving hope to the youth.”
Mark Nicholson, a director at Rad, said it was an emotional and exciting time.
“It’s exciting times, we finally started doing what we wanted to do five years ago. The idea was to do something to eradicate the gun battles on this field.
“We are looking at changing young people’s lives with this safe space. It’s emotional end exciting for me because I lost two nephews due to gang violence on this field.”
Nicholson said the whole field will eventually be fenced off.
“The containers for the arts and culture centre, library and internet cafe are being refurbished.”
Malcolm Cambell, one of the directors at Rad, said the aim was to restore hope within the community.
“Since day one gang fighting has been happening on the battlefield in Lavender Hill.
“The aim is to restore hope and to change the field from a place of destruction and drug addiction to a place of hope, to rise above poverty.”
Adele Cambell, chair of the Wicht Court Association, an NGO in Lavender Hill who chairs and spearheads the Advisory Community Committee, said Rad saw a need in the community.
“I am not a new kid on the block and am well aware of the dynamics in Lavender Hill. I firmly believe we must share our expertise and all work together to ensure that our future leaders have one common goal, and that is to educate and equip us to make a better Lavender Hill.
“With the fence going up people applaud Rad for the long overdue development on the battlefield. A big heartfelt thank you from the Lavender Hillians to Lindsay Cessford for working tirelessly behind the scenes.”
