A "tree-hugging environmental teacher", as grade four teacher Jason Hanslo describes himself, was the inspiration behind a greening project on the sandy streets of an impoverished township near Cape Town.
A qualified horticulturist, Hanslo was looking for a way to reduce the impact of regular dust storms at the Sunray Primary school in Delft, while encouraging fellow teachers to use the school's garden as a learning tool.
The result, called Sunrays in Flowers, has turned the school into an oasis in dusty Kuilsriver.
Teachers and learners started by focusing on conserving sand dune fynbos, which is being decimated by contractors building houses.
"Plants that we conserve include licensed cycads and restios, and we're excited about our rare grasses," says Hanslo.
"Our conservation efforts have encouraged a greater appreciation of endemic plants among the learners."
The fact that a couple of wagtails have settled down and raised three chicks in the garden indicates that birds and other small wildlife also appreciate their efforts, Hanslo says.
The City of Cape Town allocated the project open spaces surrounding the school to landscape.
A partnership with non-governmental organisation Food and Trees for Africa saw the planning and cultivation of a permaculture garden on a hectare of land behind the school.
"We grow vegetables and herbs, and we feed our kitchen waste to our composting earthworms to feed our soil," he says.
Neighbours and parents help with the garden's upkeep and the food supplements the school's nutrition programme as well as providing greens to the local community.
The project also shares its knowledge and skills with other schools through a workshop each term.
After attending recycling workshops, Sunrays in Flowers started recycling two-litre beverage bottles.
"We've collected 1 000 plastic bottles this year," says Hanslo. "We fill the bottles with sand and use them as erosion banks in our permaculture garden."
Learners are also encouraged to bring two-litre bottles filled with used bathwater to school, to be used as greywater irrigation.
"We are working towards acquiring a water harvesting tank, and creating an aquaculture pond is in the pipelines," Hanslo says.