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| In March 2024, the Shincheonji Volunteer Group Songha Branch is making mini gardens using discarded tires with residents at the cafe 'The Better Day' near Songha-dong, Nam District. |
“The alley corner that was once a dumping ground has become a beautiful garden. Inspired by the flowers, residents and village leaders began asking for mini gardens in their own neighbourhoods.”
— Local Resident, Songha-dong, Nam District, Gwangju
In March 2024, a quiet alley corner in Songha-dong, Nam District, Gwangju, faced a persistent problem with illegal dumping and discarded waste.
Rather than relying on conventional warning signs, volunteers from the Shincheonji Volunteer Group’s Songha Branch took a creative, hands-on approach. They cleared the accumulated rubbish and transformed discarded tires into colorful, hand-painted flower planters. What began as a small effort to clean up a single alley corner soon blossomed into a wider community greening initiative.
From Songha-dong to Hwasun and Naju: A Growing Community Initiative
The transformation quickly caught the attention of local residents and village leaders, who began requesting similar mini gardens for their own neighbourhoods. Their enthusiasm helped extend the project beyond Gwangju into surrounding communities
Expanding the Initiative: From March 2024 through September 2026, the Songha Branch completed 20 upcycling garden projects, repurposing more than 350 discarded tires into colourful planters.
Partnership in Hwasun-gun: Volunteers established gardens in Maengri Village in Baeka-myeon and along Gyedong-gil. At Oseong 2nd Apartments, the Hwasun-gun County Office supported the project by providing bricks and fresh flowers for garden wall improvements.
Bringing Greenery to Naju City: In February 2025, volunteers introduced mini gardens to unused spaces in Uksil Village, Bonghwang-myeon, revitalising the local streetscape and making the neighbourhood more welcoming.
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| Last February, the Songha Branch of the Shincheonji Volunteer Group is creating a mini garden out of discarded tires in Ukshil Village, Bonghwang-myeon, Naju-City, South Jeolla Province. |
Turning Discarded Materials into Lasting Beauty
Each garden reflects careful preparation and a commitment to sustainability. Volunteers select suitable discarded tires, clean and treat their surfaces, paint them in vibrant colors, and fill them with nutrient-rich soil before planting flowers and young trees. Through this process, materials once considered waste are given a new purpose.
The project’s impact extends beyond beautification, encouraging residents and local organizations to take an active role in maintaining their shared spaces.
Ongoing Care at Sansu Market: Following the installation of a garden at Sansu Market, the local merchant association welcomed the refreshed market entrance and agreed to help water and maintain the plants alongside workers from a local senior employment programme.
Building Intergenerational Connections: The Songha Branch also developed the gardens into spaces for social interaction, organising gardening workshops and community gatherings that brought local older residents together.
Growing Greener Communities Through Shared Action
Reflecting on the initiative’s development, a representative of the Songha Branch explained:
“We started with a simple question: How could we reuse discarded tires to clean up a single alley? Today, residents are asking us to create gardens in their neighbourhoods and joining us in caring for them over the long term. Seeing waste reduction become a shared community effort is the most rewarding part of this work.”
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| A mini garden created using recycled waste tires. |
What began as a small cleanup project in Songha-dong has grown into a collaborative effort to create cleaner, greener, and more welcoming neighbourhoods. By combining upcycling, volunteer service, and local participation, the Songha Branch is demonstrating how simple ideas can inspire lasting change—one garden and one community at a time.
