A grassroots clean up initiative in Norwood is transforming public spaces and creating new opportunities for vulnerable residents.

The project, led by Safeeyah Moosa through Spiritual Chords, began during the early days of lockdown, when she noticed the area around Grant Avenue and Frances Road had become increasingly neglected.

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Moosa said the situation was particularly concerning on Frances Road, where litter and human waste had accumulated along the pavements. “At the beginning of lockdown we started cleaning the pavement ourselves. We were literally scooping up human waste and clearing the street because the area had become very untidy.”

Working with a domestic worker and a field manager, Moosa began cleaning the stretch of pavement from Grant Avenue to the nearby Methodist church. Over time, local businesses started noticing the effort.
A nearby pub owner eventually approached the team and offered to co-operate after acknowledging that some of the mess had been caused by patrons leaving the establishment.

Moosa said the collaboration helped create a sense of neighbourliness and encouraged greater responsibility in the area.

The clean-up soon expanded beyond Frances Road to include Grant Avenue and a nearby park where bins had been overflowing with waste for years and weeds had grown through the paving. “For a couple of years we were cleaning pavements, pulling weeds from the paving and washing bins that had been full of filth for a long time.”

According to Moosa, the changes were quickly noticed by the community. Several business owners told the team they felt the atmosphere in the area had improved and that customers were returning. “People started saying they could feel a different energy in the neighbourhood and that business improved after the area became cleaner.”

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Community members have also begun supporting the initiative by contributing funding to help maintain the clean-up efforts. Also, the efforts are in collaboration with and strong support of Norwood Grime Fighters, Norwood Business Association, and Norwood Orchards Residents Association (NORA). This project is significantly enhanced with such community centred collaborations.

The project has created employment for several previously unemployed individuals, including people who had been living in the park. Some have since been able to move into accommodation after earning a regular income. “We are trying to uplift people while improving the environment,” Moosa said. “When someone earns an income and regains dignity it has a ripple effect on the whole community.”

Despite the progress, the initiative still faces challenges, including limited resources and the need for more people to help maintain the growing areas being cleaned.

Moosa hopes Norwood can eventually become a model neighbourhood that inspires similar community driven projects elsewhere. “If everyone takes care of their own space we can create a beautiful world. This initiative is simply about showing that change can begin with one small action.”

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