Work

Transformation of residual open spaces into a green community hub: a case study from Sinza D, Dar es Salaam

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Rapid urbanisation and incremental housing in Dar es Salaam have depleted urban green spaces, leaving many public areas underutilised or privately appropriated. This study, conducted within the Institutional University Cooperation (IUC) between Ardhi University and Hasselt University, examines university–community collaboration (UCC) as a means of transforming such spaces into community-owned and managed green areas. Drawing on 1 year of participatory action research in Sinza D, the study traces how collaboration among researchers, grassroots leaders, and residents evolved through facilitation, reflection, and trust-building. The findings reveal that effective UCC nurtures grassroots leadership, embodied in extended planners, who are local actors mediating between community aspirations and institutional frameworks. These leaders gain legitimacy and adaptive capacity through co-designed and inclusive processes that transform facilitation into shared governance. The study challenges extractive research models and calls for more context-sensitive, enduring collaborations that strengthen local agency in rapidly urbanising African cities.

Source: Frontiers in Sustainable Cities

DOI: 10.3389/frsc.2025.1700035

Authors: Manyama Majogoro, Oswald Devisch, Fredrick Bwire Magina

Institutions: Hasselt University, Ardhi University

Language: English

Topic: Urban Planning and Governance

Subfield: Urban Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Partnerships for the goals, Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,418