In La Estrella, a nearby town of Medellín, Colombia, rapid urban development and ecological change have put local agroecosystems at risk, including those bordering designated urban-growth zones. In response, students and local municipalities are working together to preserve valuable ecosystems and integrate balanced development throughout the region.

The Opportunity

In 2025, the Pontifical Bolivarian University (UPB) built upon its partnership with ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (Colombia) and the Secretariat of the Environment, the Mayor’s Office of La Estrella, to establish the SERES project, to promote sustainable agricultural practices and ecological restoration, while raising awareness of climate change in La Estrella. By engaging schools and residents, the initiative empowers communities to adopt cleaner, more resilient ways of living. Within the UPB, the project integrates a transdisciplinary framework while training students in sustainability, urban ecology, and nature-based solutions to support local communities.

Through the program’s courses, educators and students worked to address community challenges, respond to climate change, and strengthen sustainable agricultural practices to reduce food insecurity in the region. 

 Educators and community partners at the UPB School of Architecture hosted workshops and activities to address environmental and social issues in the region. The project proposed methods to address three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Reduced Inequalities (10), Zero Hunger (2), and Sustainable Cities and Communities (11). 

Our Partnership

The SERES: Sustainability and Ecology for the Restoration of Social Ecosystems project is a 12-month project. One of the activities included in the project was an online module certificate portion of the program, which hosted up to 50 participants (in-person and online) and covered 20 hours of programming starting at the end of January and into February 2026. �鶹��Ƶ participated in the first module’s in-person training, which was hosted by the UPB from January 28th to January 30th, 2026. 

 The overall project initiative was organized around four project components: Co-creation of Information, Ecosystem Restoration, Generation of Social Ecosystems (rainwater harvesting, irrigation, urban gardens, and food security), and Transdisciplinary and Scientific Dissemination. 

Through the implementation of the �鶹��Ƶ Model, courses such as Habits and Actions of the Place, Civil Service Research Architecture, and Coastal Landscapes and Climate Change equipped students with the training to work alongside municipal administrations and nongovernmental organizations to implement sustainable initiatives within the community. The project also incorporated collaborative design laboratories, participatory mapping, and community co-creation workshops to develop and validate nature-based solutions.

Allisson Stephens began her work within these projects as a student at the UPB School of Architecture. Stephens attended multiple workshops alongside partners and faculty members to learn more about the collaborators and their values guiding the initiative, while also exploring potential solutions to climate-related challenges. That led her, last year, to join the SERES project, which is a continuation of previous projects that resulted in the ECHOES handbook.

 Some of the most notable proposed solutions included developing supplies with a structural system and a rainwater drainage system, installing a filter for partial water purification, planting, and assembling four prototypes. Stephens said students worked with local communities to test solutions. One key improvement included making the water filtration system mobile to better fit community needs.

She said some of her favorite parts of the project included collaboration with local community members to develop proposed solutions, improve their functionality, and participate in planting sessions where project members helped plant trees in the area.

“We got to connect with the community and also learn a little bit about historical practices to continue reforesting,” she said, “but also not giving up to urban expansion.”

Stephens has since continued her work and advocacy with SERES, now serving as an educator on the university.

The Result

Through the SERES project, community members and collaborators made contributions in three distinct areas: academic, research, and partnerships. Students gained hands-on experience working with rural communities and local municipalities while researching advancements in urban planning and improved rainwater catchment designs. The project also strengthened food-security strategies, environmental education, and ecosystem restoration in peri-urban areas through nature-based solutions.

The initiative also strengthened collaboration between the university and municipalities, creating a model for implementing nature-based solutions beyond the project’s initial scope. ICLEI’s collaboration was crucial in this regard, strengthening the trust-building process between academia and local governments. 

This project is funded by the Global EbA Fund, supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) of Germany, and co-managed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and its partners.

The project is also part of five projects under the program “Catalyzing Unconventional Collaborations in the Global South for Urban Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA).”

Estudiantes y líderes locales trabajan para restaurar los ecosistemas sociales en Colombia

El Problema

En La Estrella, una localidad cercana de Medellín, Colombia, el rápido desarrollo urbano y el cambio ecológico han puesto en riesgo los agroecosistemas locales, incluidos aquellos que limitan con zonas designadas como crecimiento urbano. En respuesta, estudiantes y municipios locales trabajan juntos para preservar ecosistemas valiosos e integrar un desarrollo equilibrado en toda la región.

La Oportunidad

En 2025, la Pontificia Universidad Bolivariana (UPB) consolidó su colaboración con ICLEI – Gobiernos Locales para la Sostenibilidad (Colombia) y la Secretaría de Medio Ambiente, la Alcaldía de La Estrella, para establecer el proyecto SERES, promover prácticas agrícolas sostenibles y la restauración ecológica, al tiempo que sensibilizaba sobre el cambio climático en La Estrella. Al involucrar a las escuelas y a los residentes, la iniciativa empodera a las comunidades para adoptar formas de vida más limpias y resilientes. Dentro de la UPB, el proyecto integra un marco transdisciplinar mientras forma a los estudiantes en sostenibilidad, ecología urbana y soluciones basadas en la naturaleza para apoyar a las comunidades locales.

A través de los cursos del programa, educadores y estudiantes trabajaron para abordar los desafíos comunitarios, responder al cambio climático y fortalecer las prácticas agrícolas sostenibles para reducir la inseguridad alimentaria en la región. 

Educadores y socios comunitarios de la Escuela de Arquitectura de la UPB organizaron talleres y actividades para abordar cuestiones medioambientales y sociales en la región. El proyecto propuso métodos para abordar tres Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS): Reducción de Desigualdades (10), Hambre Cero (2) y Ciudades y Comunidades Sostenibles (11).

Nuestra Colaboración

El proyecto SERES: Sostenibilidad y Ecología para la Restauración de Ecosistemas Sociales es un proyecto de 12 meses. Una de las actividades incluidas en el proyecto fue una parte de certificado de módulo en línea, que acogió hasta 50 participantes (presenciales y online) y cubrió 20 horas de programación desde finales de enero hasta febrero de 2026. �鶹��Ƶ participó en la formación presencial del primer módulo, que fue organizada por la UPB del 28 al 30 de enero de 2026. 

La iniciativa global del proyecto se organizó en torno a cuatro componentes: Co-creación de Información, Restauración de Ecosistemas, Generación de Ecosistemas Sociales (captación de agua de lluvia, riego, huertos urbanos y seguridad alimentaria) y Difusión Transdisciplinar y Científica. 

A través de la implementación del Modelo �鶹��Ƶ, cursos como Hábitos y Acciones del Lugar, Arquitectura de Investigación del Servicio Civil y Paisajes Costeros y Cambio Climático dotaron a los estudiantes de la formación necesaria para trabajar junto a administraciones municipales y organizaciones no gubernamentales para implementar iniciativas sostenibles dentro de la comunidad. El proyecto también incorporó laboratorios de diseño colaborativos, mapeo participativo y talleres de co-creación comunitaria para desarrollar y validar soluciones basadas en la naturaleza.

Allisson Stephens comenzó su trabajo en estos proyectos como estudiante en la Escuela de Arquitectura de la UPB. Stephens asistió a múltiples talleres junto a socios y profesores para conocer mejor a los colaboradores y sus valores que guían la iniciativa, al tiempo que exploraba posibles soluciones a los desafíos relacionados con el clima. Eso la llevó el año pasado a unirse al proyecto SERES, que es una continuación de proyectos anteriores que dieron lugar al manual ECHOES. 

Algunas de las soluciones propuestas más destacadas incluyeron el desarrollo de suministros con un sistema estructural y un sistema de drenaje de aguas pluviales, la instalación de un filtro para la purificación parcial del agua, la plantación y el ensamblaje de cuatro prototipos. 

Stephens dijo que los estudiantes trabajaron con las comunidades locales para probar soluciones. Una mejora clave fue hacer que el sistema de filtración de agua fuera móvil para adaptarse mejor a las necesidades de la comunidad. Dijo que algunas de sus partes favoritas del proyecto incluyeron la colaboración con miembros de la comunidad local para desarrollar soluciones propuestas, mejorar su funcionalidad y participar en sesiones de plantación en las que los miembros del proyecto ayudaron a plantar árboles en la zona. “Pudimos conectar con la comunidad y también aprender un poco sobre prácticas históricas para seguir reforestando”, dijo, “pero también sin rendirnos ante la expansión urbana”.

Desde entonces, Stephens ha continuado su trabajo y defensa con SERES, ejerciendo ahora como docente en la universidad.

El Resultado

A través del proyecto SERES, miembros de la comunidad y colaboradores hicieron contribuciones en tres áreas distintas: académica, de investigación y de colaboraciones. Los estudiantes adquirieron experiencia práctica trabajando con comunidades rurales y municipios locales mientras investigaban avances en planificación urbana y mejoras en el diseño de captaciones de agua de lluvia. El proyecto también fortaleció las estrategias de seguridad alimentaria, la educación ambiental y la restauración de ecosistemas en áreas periurbanas mediante soluciones basadas en la naturaleza.

La iniciativa también fortaleció la colaboración entre la universidad y los municipios, creando un modelo para implementar soluciones basadas en la naturaleza más allá del alcance inicial del proyecto. La colaboración de ICLEI fue crucial en este sentido, fortaleciendo el proceso de construcción de confianza entre el ámbito académico y los gobiernos locales.

Este proyecto está financiado por el Fondo Global EbA, con el apoyo de la Iniciativa Internacional sobre el Clima (IKI) del Ministerio Federal de Medio Ambiente, Conservación de la Naturaleza, Seguridad Nuclear y Protección del Consumidor (BMUV) de Alemania, y coadministrado por la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN) y sus socios. El proyecto forma parte de cinco proyectos en el marco del programa “Catalizar colaboraciones no convencionales en el Sur Global para la adaptación basada en los ecosistemas urbanos (EbA)”.

Co-Producing Solutions: Composting for Healthier Communities

Working in partnership with the Durban University of Technology (DUT), Zero Waste, and the eThekwini Municipality Agroecology Unit, �鶹��Ƶ students and community members co-designed and implemented a composting initiative that responds directly to local waste management challenges.

Following training sessions and hands-on implementation, community members began transforming organic waste—such as old vegetables and household wet waste—into compost. This not only reduces the volume of waste in the settlement but also addresses critical public health concerns. With inconsistent waste collection, uncollected refuse often becomes a breeding ground for pests, particularly rats. Composting offers a practical, locally driven solution to this issue.

The initiative also reflects the importance of building local partnerships. A nearby supermarket, which previously disposed of its waste into the river, is now contributing wet waste to the composting system—reducing environmental pollution and strengthening community-led environmental stewardship.

Through �鶹��Ƶ, this work goes beyond training—it is about building long-term capacity. The community has taken ownership of the process, ensuring that composting continues as a sustainable, embedded practice. 

Figure.1&2– Quarry Road residents and �鶹��Ƶ students at a community composting site. 

Innovation in Context: Vertical Gardening

In response to the spatial constraints of informal settlements, the initiative introduced vertical gardening—a low-cost, adaptable solution for urban food production.

Using recycled materials such as wooden pallets and old sacks, community members in Quarry Road developed vertical gardens that maximise limited space while reinforcing principles of reuse and sustainability. A demonstration site was established at one household, creating a living learning space where knowledge can be shared and adapted across the community.

This reflects a core �鶹��Ƶ principle: solutions must be locally appropriate, resource-conscious, and driven by the realities of the communities they serve.

Figure. 3- Vertical Gardening Initiative at Quarry Road informal settlement 

Peer-to-Peer Learning: Extending Impact to Pholani

A defining feature of �鶹��Ƶ Africa is the emphasis on knowledge exchange. The success in Quarry Road created an opportunity to extend the initiative to Pholani through a “training the trainers” model.

Community members from Quarry Road, supported by Zero Waste and �鶹��Ƶ students, facilitated composting training for the Pholani community. This peer-led approach strengthens local ownership and ensures that knowledge is transferred in ways that are accessible and contextually relevant.

In Pholani, where land is available adjacent to the settlement, community members cleared and prepared the area for planting. With support from the UKZN team, seedlings were provided and a variety of crops were planted, including spinach, potatoes, onions, mealies, and green peppers—contributing to improved food security and livelihoods.

Figure. 3: Food Gardening at Pholani Informal Settlement- Figure.4: Making of Swales at Pholani Informal Settlement. 

Responding to Challenges Together

As with many community-led initiatives, challenges remain. Limited access to water, a lack of gardening tools, and the need for secure fencing have been identified as ongoing barriers. Additionally, environmental pressures such as flooding and wildlife—particularly monkeys—pose risks to crop sustainability.

True to the �鶹��Ƶ model, these challenges are not addressed in isolation. Through continued collaboration, adaptive solutions are being explored. For example, Zero Waste facilitated training on swales—a technique that helps manage water flow and prevent crops from being washed away in flood-prone areas.

Building Resilient, Connected Communities

The greening of Quarry Road and Pholani demonstrates what is possible when communities, universities, and local partners work together through the �鶹��Ƶ framework. This is not just about environmental improvement—it is about strengthening relationships, building local capacity, and supporting communities to lead change in their own contexts.

Through initiatives like these, �鶹��Ƶ Africa Durban continues to foster inclusive, community-driven innovation—showing that sustainable urban futures are built through collaboration, trust, and shared knowledge.

By: Nkosinathi Mncwabe

�鶹��Ƶ Africa Durban Coordinator