Cape Town is not only a top destination for global travellers, it is a ‘biodiversity hotspot’ which boasts more than 6000 indigenous fynbos species, two thirds of which are found nowhere else in the world. As with many rapidly developing urban centres, fragmentation of natural habitat – negatively impacting urban pollinators and species survival – is a growing threat to Cape Town’s rich biodiversity.
Ingcungcu Sunbird Restoration is tackling this issue by planting indigenous gardens to provide food for sunbirds and safe outdoor learning spaces for urban communities. By creating a stepping stone corridor of nectar-rich gardens across the Cape Flats, Ingcungcu is connecting plants, birds and people; supporting urban biodiversity, providing ‘filling stations’ for sunbirds, and nurturing the next generation of biodiversity custodians.
In 2025, with the support of the OKOA Fund and Ker & Downey Africa, Ingcungcu’s School Eco Club Program (launched in 2022) continued to provide diverse opportunities for hands-on learning, skills development and nature immersion experiences to six schools in Retreat and Lavender Hill. In 2025, the program provided environmental education to approximately 160 learners between Grade 5 and Grade 11 through workshops, field trips and garden activities. A total of two new gardens were planted and three existing gardens expanded, engaging an additional 600 learners from across the six schools.
Throughout the year, Ingcungcu ran 80 Eco Club workshops focussed on designing, planting and monitoring the gardens with the learners exposed to a wide range of skills including mapping, landscape design, plant identification, bird monitoring and data collection.
A total of 11 field trips to local nature reserves and botanical gardens provided Eco Club learners with hands-on immersive opportunities for learning about our rich natural heritage, while hikes in Table Mountain National Park enable them to step into their bodies and push their physical limits.
As a small organisation Ingcungcu’s strength is in its partnerships. Working together with the OKOA Fund and Ker & Downey Africa, has not only enabled the continuation of the Eco Club program, it helped sustain Ingcungcu’s vision – to create a sunbird stepping stone corridor, supporting sunbirds, restoring fynbos habitat and reconnecting urban communities to nature.
Over the next five years, Ingcungcu aims to grow its impact – with the mission of reaching at least five new schools and communities within Cape Town by 2030 – expanding the existing corridor network towards achieving the vision. Ingcungcu is thus looking to expand its network of support and build long-term partnerships with businesses, organisations and individuals, to increase their impact and ensure long-term sustainability.
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